Last night, Nov. 24, was opening night for the boys varsity basketball teams first-ever Thanksgiving tournament. The boys’ varsity basketball team was in the lead by seven points with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, but could not close out a highly ranked Lincoln Park squad, falling 78-87 in overtime.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle. The teams were tied at 13 after the first quarter. The Mustangs struggled with turnovers early and trailed 32-29 at halftime.

The Mustangs cut the deficit with an 11-3 run in the third quarter to take a 55-54 lead. They extended their advantage to 67-59 late in the fourth, but Lincoln Park hit three crucial shots in the final minutes to tie the game at 72 and force overtime. The Lions pulled away in overtime as the Mustangs could not overcome late turnovers and fouls in the extra period as the Mustangs couldn’t recover.

Senior Adam Flowers was in the lead of all scorers with 32 points, going 15 for 18 at the free-throw line.

“I was excited to open my senior year with this group and believed we could find a way to win. Even though it didn’t happen, I’m proud of how hard everyone played,” Flowers said.

Flowers credited his teammates and staying aggressive for his performance.

Senior Sean Day added 23 points to the Mustangs score.

“This game meant a lot–last first game as a senior, and it was special to battle a top 10 team,” Day said. “We’ve got a lot of youth on the floor, but I kept telling everyone to stay focused and trust our game.”

Head coach Zach Miller said the experience will help the team moving forward.

“This group didn’t lose belief in each other, no matter what happened tonight. Games like this are reference points for the rest of the season,” Miller said. “It was like two heavyweight fighters going punch for punch until the very end.”

The Mustangs continue the Thanksgiving tournament with their next game tonight, Nov. 25, against the Hinsdale Central Red Devils.