By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — Now, that’s the way to start the season.

In an overtime thriller, the Fairland Dragons edged the North Adams Green Devils 68-66 in the season opener on Saturday.

Regulation ended with the game tied 57-57 and then Fairland outscored North Adams 11-9 in the overtime.

Jake Rothwell missed a shot, got his own rebound and missed again, but Connor Young got the putback with 9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game.

Fairland missed a long 3-point attempt as the buzzer sounded and sent the game into overtime.

The Dragons led 66-63 when Brody Buchanan made a foul shot for a 67-63 lead. Breestin Schweickart made a foul shot for the Green Devils and it was 67-64 with 16 seconds left and Branson Copas hit 2 free throws with 7.4 seconds left and North Adams trailed just 67-66.

North Adams was forced to foul on the inbounds play and Keegan Smith sank the second of 2 shots with 5.9 seconds left to make it 68-66. Copas took a shot from the top of the key that hit the back of the rim as time expired give Fairland the win.

Chase Allen and Smith scored 6 points as the Dragons went up 15-7 in the first quarter.

Both teams scored 15 points in the second quarter and it was 30-22. Allen hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points in the quarter.

North Adams cut the deficit to 42-38 in the third quarter as Copas scored 9 points. Noah Marcum and Allen scored 4 points each.

The Green Devils were able to tie the game in the fourth quarter as Copas scored 8 points while Rothwell scored 6 points and Young got 5 points with each hitting a 3-pointer.

In the overtime, Will Davis and Buchanan had 4 points each. Davis was 2-of-2 at the line and Buchanan was 4-of-6. The Green Devils were 9-of-12 from the foul line.

Allen scored a game-high 24 points and had 6 rebounds to pace the Dragons. Davis had 12 points and 8 rebounds while Marcum had 11 points and 12 rebounds in his first varsity start.

Copas scored 23 p lints to lead North Adams. Rothwell scored 17 and Young 11.

The Dragons play at Unioto on Dec. 10.

North Adams    7 15 16 19 9 = 66

Fairland           15 15 12 15 11 = 68

NORTH ADAMS (0-1): Jake Rothwell 3-6 0-1 8-11 17, Cody Hesler 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Connor Young 2-4 2-2 1-2 11, Bransyn Copas 4-12 1-4 12-12 23, Konnor Rogers 0-0 2-4 0-0 6, Carson Osborne 2-5 0-3 0-0 4, Breestin Schweickart 1-3 0-1 3-4 5. Totals: 17-45 24-29 66. 3-pt goals: 5-15. Rebounds: 22 (Rothwell 6). Assists: 1. Steals: 3. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Schweickart.

FAIRLAND (1-0): Will Davis 4-9 0-0 4-6 12, Chase Allen 9-12 2-2 0-0 24, Brycen Hunt 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Noah Marcum 4-4 0-1 3-4 11, Cliff Fransen 0-0 0-1 0-0 0, Keegan Smith 4-5 0-0 1-2 9, Brody Buchanan 2-6 0-4 5-8 9, Payton Jackson 0-0 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 26-45 14-22 68. 3-pt goals: 2-8. Rebounds: 30 (Marcum 12, Davis 8, Allen 6). Assists: 7 (ALlen 4). Steals: 0. Fouls: 19. Fouled out None.