By Bart Moss

For the FCT

In a week of unpredictable endings, the Tharptown Wildcats fell victim to one of the stranger endings to a basketball game.  With only four seconds left in the game, the Wildcats and the Phillips Bears were tied 49-49.

The officials called a technical foul on the bench against Tharptown, which allowed Phillips to step to the free throw line and hit three free throws to win the game 52-49.

When asked about the technical foul call, Tharptown boys’ head coach Jonathan Odom deferred to the officials.

“You will have to ask them [officials],” Odom said.

“I don’t know what they heard but it didn’t come from our bench. No one said anything to them.

“I thought we played well enough to win but we could have played much better.”

The game was even throughout. Tharptown led 17-14 at the end of the first quarter and led 26-25 at halftime. The third quarter was a stalemate with both teams scoring twelve points each.

Phillips’ Tyler Crumpton led all scorers with 19 points.

Sophomore Max Nolen led the Wildcats with 16 points. Senior Riley Nolen was also in double figures with 11 points. Also scoring for Tharptown was Kelby Hallmark (9), Nathan Chaney (7), Drake Lawson (3) and Heath Hatton (3).