Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton tops third seed Plainview-Elgin-Millville

Owen Leach hit a pair of free throws with eight seconds left and teammate Drew Sheeley hit two more three seconds later, sealing a 63-61 victory Tuesday for Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton over No. 3 seed Plainview-Elgin-Millville in the Class 2A semifinals of the boys basketball state tournnament.

PEM had taken the lead 59-58 when senior forward Aeron Stevens stole the ball and made a layup with 21 seconds left.

After Leach's free throws, PEM's chance at victory slipped away when a downcourt pass went off Kaiden Peters' hands and out of bounds, leading to Sheeley's free throws.

PEM held the lead for more than 75 percent of the game, the official postgame statistics said, but the Bulldogs could not put DGF away.

"We could never get [the lead] to be more than one possession," PEM coach Jason Herber said. "Every time we'd get a four-point lead, two-point lead, three-point lead, we couldn't get a big stop."

At the biggest point of the season, DGF coach Mike Clark said his players are as focused as he's seen them all season.

"We've played our best, most physical basketball in the playoffs," he said. "This group is more locked in than I've seen them all season. They have a goal in mind and they're going to go get it."

Leach finished with 28 points and Sheeley 10 for DGF. Peters had 16 points and Stevens 14 for PEM.