By MICKEL PONTHIEUX / Sports Reporter

HOOVER – The Spain Park Jaguars came alive in the third overtime to defeat the Pelham Panthers 63-54 in a Class 6A, Area 8 battle Jan. 25.

The Panthers (11-11, 4-2) led most of the game until Deion Wright led Spain Park on a 9-1 run midway through the third quarter to give the Jags a 30-29 lead. Spain Park extended the lead to seven with a 6-0 run to end the quarter for a 36-29 advantage headed into the fourth.

Pelham answered in the fourth by holding Spain Park (10-10, 4-2) to just two points and sent the game into overtime. The Panthers’ Dakota Clark capped a 9-2 fourth quarter for Pelham to even the game 38-38.

The Jags scored the first three points in the first overtime, but Pelham answered with a 5-0 run for a 43-41 lead. Spain Park rallied twice in the final two minutes to send the game into the second overtime.

Both teams scored just three points in the second overtime, but Pelham lost Clark when he fouled out after scoring the first points of the extra four minutes.

Drew Morgan controlled the opening tip of the third overtime and gave his Jags a 50-48 lead. Spain Park was able to pick up stops on defense and went on a 13-0 run for a 61-48 lead with 38 seconds left on the clock.

Pelham’s Kenny Meadows outscored Spain Park 6-2 in the last seconds of the game, but it wasn’t enough as the Jags claimed the 63-54 victory.

With the win, Spain Park ties Pelham at the top of the Area 8 standings. A coin toss on Jan. 29 will determine the host of the area tournament.

Meadows led Pelham with 15 points, 10 of which came in the overtime sessions. Clark finished with 14 points and Willie Simpson scored 11 points for the Panthers.

Wright led all scorers with 27 points for Spain Park while finishing 13-for-19 from the free throw line. Jonathan Toups added 10 points while Austin Jones scored nine points – seven of which came in overtime.