Hutch Ward hit a clutch three late in regulation to force overtime as Kalamazoo Central beat Okemos 70-62 in double overtime to claim a division one regional championship.
Ward finished the game with 25 points.
"We started off a little slow," Ward said about his teams season. "I think everybody counted us out, but now I think we're on a roll. We want the state chip (state championship). This is nice, but we want the state chip."
The Maroon Giants trailed for much of the game, but found a way to win for the 14th time in their last 17 games.
"They just never wavered," K-Central head coach Ramsey Nichols said. "They showed some intestinal fortitude tonight. A lot of teams would have just packed it in. We were down late, but we kept chipping away and then, you know, we put ourselves in position to win the game."
Kalamazoo Central (16-7) advances to play Northview (24-1) in the state quarterfinals next Tuesday at Thornapple Kellogg.
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