It took an extra four minutes to decide who would make it to the Class 2 District 7 finals, but when the buzzer sounded and the dust settled Thursday night, it was third-seeded Westran that would move on after a thrilling 69-65 overtime win in the semifinals over second-seeded Glasgow.

With 5.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Glasgow coach Mick Cropp called a timeout with his team behind by three points. The Yellowjackets inbounded the ball, eventually putting it in the hands of their 2,039-career point scorer, Jackson Meyer. The senior didn’t disappoint, swishing a 3-pointer two seconds before the buzzer signaled the end of regulation, sending the contest into overtime.

Cropp said there was no doubt as to who was going to get the ball with the season on the line. “We’ve had that play in the chamber for about 10 or 15 years, and we finally got a chance to use it. It really didn’t work as well as  planned. He should’ve been open. We knew Westran was going to give him a lot of attention, but we were going to put it in his hands. He gets that opportunity because he can make plays, he’s big, and he’s had a heck of a career.”

Tied 58-58 after four quarters, Westran retook the lead 11 seconds into overtime with a basket by junior Cruze Haynes. Half a minute later, junior Jordan Black sank the first of seven made free throws by the Hornets in overtime to put Westran in front by four. The teams matched point for point the rest of the way, but Westran would escape with the four-point victory after shooting 7-for-10 from the line.

“They got a good start, and we couldn’t get anything to go down on the offensive end,” Cropp said about overtime. “They made their free throws in the second half, and we didn’t.”

Both teams shot right out of the gate, finishing a back-and-forth opening period defined by eight lead changes to wind up even, 17-17, after eight minutes. Westran won the second quarter to take a 31-30 lead into halftime, but Glasgow answered in the third quarter, outscoring the Hornets 16-14 to pull ahead 46-45 on a three-point play by Meyer with 6.4 seconds left.

Westran jumped back ahead by as Haynes and Black combined for five points to open the fourth period. But once again, Glasgow had an answer. Meyer sank back-to-back buckets to tie the game, and senior Bronson Foster netted a three halfway through the fourth quarter to cap a seven-point run and put the Jackets back on top 53-50.

Westran led twice by three in the final 30 seconds. But Meyer’s 3-point swish at the end erased the deficit and sent the game into overtime.

“It wasn’t really who had the ball last; it’s just a tough district,” Cropp said after the game. “Westran played well tonight.”

Meyer led all scorers with a game-high 27 points, with every shot contested. He sank three shots from the arc, and scored 19 points after halftime. Junior Kyler Kottman added 10 points, followed by nine each from senior Bronson Foster and junior Britton Barringhaus and eight from junior Josh Sayler.

The loss was a disappointing end to an otherwise outstanding season for Glasgow. The Jackets won 24 games against just five losses, and posted a perfect 10-0 mark in the Central Activities Conference. Glasgow took third place in its own tournament, defeating Harrisburg to claim the hardware, then won the Slater Tournament and finished runner-up in the Salisbury Tournament.

“That’s what’s so impressive about our season. It’s tough basketball around here. If you win that many basketball games, you are a good team,” Cropp said.

The loss ends the careers of five seniors, led by Meyer, who walks off the floor with 2,039 career points. He’s the second Yellowjacket to surpass 2,000 points in the past two years and the third to enter the top-50 all-time career scorers in the state at No. 42.

“He remade himself his junior and senior years into an inside player and became dominant,” Cropp said. “He was quite a player. He started his freshman year going to the final four and carried this team to a great season.

“Teams have doubled, tripled, and quadruple-teamed him this year, and he still averaged 27 points a game. That speaks for itself.”

Bronson Foster is another senior who made an impact this season for the Yellowjackets. “He became one of my favorite players, maybe ever, to coach, because he works so hard and he has a tremendous desire to be good. I’m going to miss him for sure,” Cropp said.

Three more seniors contributed from the bench. They were Gavin Lawson, Seth Monnig, and Wesley Norris.

“Seth Monnig and Gavin Lawson are kids who really don’t get to see the four very much. But those kids have more respect than anybody because they come to practice all the time and work hard even if they’re not getting on the floor,” Cropp said. “Wesley Norris came out this year. I was really happy he came out and experienced this.”

Glasgow ends the season 24-5 overall, with first, second, and third-place tournament trophies and a conference title.

“I’m just proud of them. It was a heck of a good season,” Cropp added. “I know it stings right now, but I told him in the locker room that all the things we accomplished are forever. We’re going to get to enjoy those for a long time.”