If you remember the last time I wrote about these teams playing (here's a reminder) you'll see 
some similarities this time around.
Timberline opened in a man to man defense and Centennial jumped on it early. After an opening 3 from the Patriot's Patrick Manning the middle opened up and they got up big. By the end of the first quarter Centennial was up 22-5. Centennial was hitting everything they put up.
Timberline adjusted, went to a 1-1-2-1 press and started to whittle away at the lead. By halftime they had cut it to 11, 31-20, but it came at a cost. Garrett Hall, whom played sparingly for the first time last Saturday since injuring his ACL early in the season, seemed to twist his knee again at the end of the half. He did not return.
Timbeline started the third quarter fired up. They were diving on loose balls, scrambling to everything they could get. Centennial seemed a little rattled at first but calmed down and kept a seven point lead going into the fourth.
In the fourth, the tables started to turn. Timberline, whose confidence was growing by the second, started to catch fire much like Centennial did in the first. Dan Goodale got a 3 to go. Marcus Graham got a driving layup. Then two big 3-pointers by Jarid Downey. And these were deep, deep threes, off the bounce with defenders near by. Gotta love that confidence.
Each team was hitting shots. Timberline got plays from Ryan Tate and Jake Butterfield. Centennial's Manning was creating off the dribble (often finding Faruk Huskic at the top of the key) and hit the go ahead 3-pointer in regulation.
But it was Downey's 3-pointer at the end of regulation that was the biggest shot to that point. Didn't 
even hesitate to put up his third of the quarter. And with that, the game went in to OT.
An early Centennial 3 was answered by another Downey 3. For the first 3:58 of overtime that was all the scoring there was. But, with 2 seconds to go, Manning drove the right baseline and put a floater that found the bottom of the net and would be the Patriots ticket to the state tournament.
Timberline will now need a win against Borah (they lost to Rocky Mountain 48-46) tomorrow night to keep their state tournament hopes alive. The tip is at 6:00 PM at Centennial. The winner will have a state play-in game against the District 5-6 second place team in Twin Falls this Saturday.
