By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The St. Joseph Flyers and Green Bobcats played a hard-fought thriller on Tuesday.

Then again, when don’t these 2 teams play a hard-fought thriller?

Green took a lead early, the Flyers rallied to go ahead and another thrilling ending followed as the Bobcats took a 52-49 Southern Ohio Conference 1 win.

Green took a 15-11 first quarter lead as Landon Kimber hit a pair of 3-pointers

Eli Whaley and Evan Balestra hit 3-pointers for the Flyers (4-7, 2-2).

St. Joseph then dominated the second quarter and outscored Green 17-4 to take a 28-19 halftime lead.

Balestra had another trifecta as he scored 5 points and Wesley Neal had 4 points as 5 different Flyers scored in the quarter.

Nathaniel Brannigan and Uriah Satterfield had the only 2 Green baskets.

But Green came out and controlled the third quarter as Kimbler hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points while Knapp added 6 points and the Bobcats cut the deficit to 39-36.

Balestra carried the Flyers in the quarter as he made 2 more 3-pointers and had 8 points while Whaley hit another triple.

In the fourth quarter, Green managed to take a 45-43 lead but Drew Brown came up with a steal and scored as the Flyers tied the game with 2:56 to play.

Carter Johnson then came up with a steal and fed Eli Whaley who raced down the court for a layup and St. Joseph was back on top at 47-45 with 2 minutes to play.

Brannigan took an “alley oop” pass from Knapp and scored to tie the game and Knapp’s driving layup put the Bobcats up 49-47 with 1:05 left.

A putback by Johnson tied the game  but Knapp’s free throw with 40 seconds left gave Green a 50-49 lead.

A Flyers’ turnover led to a foul and Brody Stapleton sank a free throw with 11.9 seconds left and Green led 51-49. The Flyers failed to score and Satterfield was fouled and hit the second of 2 free throws and the lead was 52-49 with 6 seconds left.

The Flyers took a pair of off-balanced 3-pointers that failed to connect and Green escaped with the win.

Balestra dropped in 4 shots from beyond the arc and led the Flyers with 16 points. Whaley added 10 points.

Green (3-10, 2-2) was led by Kimbler with 17 points as he made 5 3-pointers while Knapp got 14 points.

Green        1541716=51

St. Joseph 11 17 11 10 = 49

GREEN (3-10, 2-2): Jon Knapp 4 1 3-6 14, Brody Stapleton 0 0 2-4 2, Abe McBee 1 0 0-0 2, Brett Chaney 0 0 0-0 0, Blake Smith 2 0 0-0 4, Nathaniel Brannigan 3 0 0-0 6, Landon Kimbler 1 5 0-2 17, Uriah Satterfield 3 0 1-2 7. Totals: 14 6 6-14 51. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.

ST. JOSEPH (4-7, 2-2): Aiden Deborde 1 0 1-2 3, Eli Whaley 2 2 0-1 10, Landon Rowe 2 0 2-4 4, Evan Balestra 2 4 0-0 16, Drew Brown 3 0 0-0 6, Wesley Neal 2 0 0-0 4, Carter Johnson 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 14 6 3-9 49. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.