Colts edge Knights in triple overtime thriller

Vanguard’s Dylan Harris (0) makes a move toward the basket during Friday night’s game against North Marion in the Kingdom of the Sun Tournament. [Photo by Mark Pinson]

The fans who paid to watch Friday night’s game between North Marion and Vanguard certainly got their money’s worth. The triple-overtime affair was the seventh game of the first day of the prestigious Kingdom of the Sun Tournament, which is celebrating its 50th year after being started in 1974 by former Vanguard basketball coach and icon Jim Haley.

North Marion sophomore power forward Lamont Sweeting Jr. scored five of his 13 points in the third overtime, including a key 3-pointer, and senior guard Coy Sizemore hit two clutch free throws to give the Colts a 52-49 win over the Knights.

The win improved North Marion to an impressive 10-1 on the season, while the tough loss dropped Vanguard, which has won this event three times, to 6-4 overall.

Between tenacious defense and poor shooting by both teams, points were at a premium. The game was close from the opening tip as North Marion junior point guard Jerdarrius Jackson scored four of his game-high 18 points and senior forward Elijah Lee knocked down a 3-pointer. Vanguard answered as Kevin Campbell scored four points and guard Dylan Harris added four points, including a floater in the lane at the buzzer to give the Knights an 11-10 lead heading to the second period.

Jackson continued to spark the Colts by scoring five points and Toure James drove to the basket for a layup. Vanguard stayed close as Marcel Simmons scored in the paint and Derek Singleton buried a 3-pointer from the right baseline to tie the score at 22-22 at the half.

North Marion extended its lead to five points at the end of the third quarter as Jackson scored four points and De’marion Bentley banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Vanguard rallied and tied the game at 34 at the end of regulation on a strong drive to the basket by Brandon Haughton.

The teams struggled to score in the overtime periods and were tied at 38 after the first four minutes and again at 45 after the second extra period. Sweeting began the third overtime by drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Lee added a layup to give the Class 4A Colts a 50-45 lead.

Haughton scored for Vanguard to trim its deficit to 50-49. The Class 5A Knights were forced to foul and Sizemore calmly swished both free throws to put North Marion on top by a score of 52-49 with 12.2 seconds left to play.

Vanguard’s last-second shot failed to find its mark and the Colts celebrated the hard-fought victory over their county rivals.

The four-day, 16-team Kingdom of the Sun Tournament continues through Monday

North Marion’s Jerdarrius Jackson heads up the floor as Vanguard’s Derek Singleton (2) defends during Friday night’s game in the Kingdom of the Sun Tournament. [Photo by Mark Pinson]