HOBGOOD – It was a heartbreaking way to finish senior night celebrations.

Hobgood Academy fought to the bitter end, but Ridgecroft’s Logan Kinlaw made two big plays in the final seconds to boost the Rams over the Raiders, 62-61.

“Either team could have won,” said Rams interim coach Nathan Dilday, filling in for Head Coach Tim Boone who was out of the country. “We ended up with the ball, got off a good shot and made it.”

With just 36 seconds remaining and clinging to a 61-60 lead, Hobgood’s Gray Smith missed two foul shots, giving the Raiders a total of eight missed shots from the charity stripe in the quarter.

Kinlaw came up with the defensive rebound and passed the ball up court.

Fifteen seconds later he finished the play at the other end as his basket lifted the Rams over the home team.

Ridgecroft took a 15-11 lead after hitting five three pointers in the first quarter. Hobgood was playing without starter Adam Whitehead, who missed the game due to injury, allowing Ridgecroft to focus their attention on Jeremy Joyner, who was held to just four first-half points.

Sophomore Thomas McDowell hit from downtown at the start of the second to pull Hobgood within one. Dillon Lowe took the ball coast-to-coast and Josh Morris came off the bench to add a basket, stretching the Rams lead to five (19-14).

Hobgood got baskets from Joyner, Smith and Hank Edmonson to take a 20-19 lead.

Morris’s bucket was surpassed by a Michael Whitehead trey.

Lowe sank a baseline jumper then, along with Morris, hit from beyond the arc as Ridgecroft took back the lead.

Smith scored a basket and two foul shots while Lowe added one free throw as the Rams held a three point advantage (30-27) at the half.

Hobgood outscored Ridgecroft 17-15 in the third quarter, including a seven-point effort by Edmonson and six from Joyner, pulling within one point(45-44) entering the fourth quarter.

Edmonson hit a bucket and McDowell added a foul shot as Hobgood took a two point advantage.

Consecutive treys from Neal Howard and Morris got the Rams back out front, 51-47.

Joyner hit a basket and two foul shots, awarded after Ridgecroft was issued their second technical foul of the quarter, to tie the score at 51.

The teams traded baskets, and the lead, for the next two minutes.

With the score tied at 56 both teams started fouling, sending players to the line nine times over the next four minutes.

With the score again tied, this time at 57, Edmonson took Whitehead’s pass to the hoop for two, and then added a foul shot for a three point Hobgood advantage.

Morris made two foul shots, and then Whitehead went to the line and sank one.

Morris added another free throw to pull the Rams within one, 61-60, with 41 seconds remaining.

Kin law’s basket, his only one of the quarter, stole the win for Ridgecroft.

“It was a great everyone – not one individual but a team effort,” said Dilday.

Morris led all scorers with 27 points. Lowe added 14 and Kinlaw scored 10 in the win.

Edmonson and Joyner led Hobgood with 14 points apiece followed by Smith with 11.

Ridgecroft (62): Josh Morris n 27, Dillon Lowe n 14, Logan Kinlaw n 10, Neal Howard n 6, Austin Britton n 3, Miles Newbern n 2

Hobgood (61):

Jeremy Joyner n 14, Hank Edmonson n 14, Gray Smith n 11, Thomas McDowell n 10, Michael Whitehead n 8, Michael House -2, Josh Haefka – 2