GRANBY -- For a Lee boys' basketball team that was 4-7 at one point in the regular season before rallying to make the tournament, the small matter of a 12-point fourth quarter deficit on the road wasn't going to rattle them once they got there.
The No. 7-seeded Wildcats dominated the fourth quarter and overtime to pull out a 78-77 win over No. 2 Granby, Thursday.
Lee (14-8) advanced to face, St. Joseph next week in the Western Massachusetts Division III semifinals at Curry Hicks Cage. Granby finished the season at 17-4.
"We've been in games like this all year long," Lee coach Dan Korte said. "We've been battle-tested by our schedule. We didn't play in many games this year where we blew anybody out or were blown out. Being in tight games in the fourth quarter is nothing new. I think it paid off for us tonight."
Jake LePrevost's two free throws with 11.8 seconds left capped his 30-point performance and gave the Wildcats a 78-75 lead. Granby missed a game-tying 3-point attempt with under six seconds left and Brandon Cloutier put back the rebound hoping to get fouled as time expired. No whistle came and the final horn set off a celebration on the Lee bench and in the student section of fans that made the trip from Berkshire County.
"I'm extremely proud of my team," LePrevost said. "Some role players hit some really big shots down the stretch. This was a culmination of what the season was. Coming into the season we had some
The Wildcats, who trailed for almost the entire game were down 59-50 after the third quarter before Deaglan Giarolo knocked down a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, but Granby scored the next six point to take a 65-53 lead with 6:16 left.
But on its next possession Lee drew the fourth foul on Granby's Corey Baker, already a 1,000-point scorer as a junior. With him on the bench, the Wildcats attacked, taking control of the game quickly scoring nine straight points to get within three at 65-62 with 3:54 left.
Granby called time out and coach Tim Sheehan put Baker back in the game, but he couldn't regain momentum. The Rams played the last 6:52 of regulation without making a field goal.
Kenny Retzel gave Lee its first leads since the first quarter with a 3-pointer that made it 67-66 with 2:32 left.
Granby sophomore guard Jesse Molin (29 points) made one of two free throws to tie the game at 67-67 with 2:25 remaining, but Heamon Williams made a tough shot in traffic with 2:05 left to out Lee ahead 69-67 with 2:05.
The teams traded turnovers and miss shots in the final two minutes before Williams fouled Baker going to the basket with 8.3 seconds left.
The junior made both to force overtime.
Granby scored the first basket of the extra session but the Wildcats answered with five straight on a 3 by Retzel and two free throws by Williams. The trip to the line came on Baker's fifth foul trying to make a steal.
The Wildcats' lead ping-ponged from one to three points the rest of the way as Lee was able to hold on.
Williams finished with 22 points, while Retzel added 8.
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