GRAHAMSVILLE — The Tri-Valley Bears 9-5 (3-3) hosted the Fallsburg Comets 6-5 (1-3) in a Class B matchup on Monday night. The game started how it ended, fast-paced, intense and evenly-matched. It was a one possession game for most of the night, with the largest lead of the night being Tri-Valley’s six point advantage after the first quarter.

Both teams played aggressive and dynamic basketball on both sides of the court, but ultimately it was Tri-Valley that was able to hold on for the 57-56 win on their home court.

The first quarter was a flurry of intense activity as both teams rushed up and down the court. Each team’s defense seemed to be smothering in the early going. Tri-Valley was able to score first after an early attempt at the free throw line. After the initial basket, the flood gates opened and both teams began racking up back-to-back baskets.

Early foul trouble for the Comets made it harder to keep pace with the Bears, and the eight points from the charity stripe helped the Bears get up to a 17-11 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Fallsburg wasted no time starting the second quarter by cutting into the lead immediately. Isaiah Young split defenders with graceful drives to the basket, while Nick Storms started cashing in from beyond the arc to get Fallsburg back into the game as the heavyweight contenders continued to trade blows. By halftime, the score was knotted at 29 apiece as the teams retired to the locker room.

Coming out of the break, the back-and-forth battle had transitioned to shooting from distance. Tri-Valley’s Misha Khodakovski and Fallsburg’s Isaiah Young battled as each team’s leading scorer. Khodakovski netted a team-high 23 points while Young had a game-high 25. The quarter ended with a 40-39 lead for Tri-Valley over Fallsburg.

In the fourth and final quarter, defense and transition offense was the key. It seemed like Fallsburg was gaining an upper hand and smothering Tri-Valley but the Bears continued with a series of greuling drives to the basket that they converted into points.

The drives, combined with multiple converted free throws, put Tri-Valley up with a comfortable 10-point lead over the Comets with four minutes to play. However, Young was able to step up for the Comets and score four back-to-back drives to make it a one-score game yet again. Despite the late onslaught, the Comets were unable to overcome the deficit before the final buzzer as Tri-Valley held on for the 57-56 victory.

“This was a great game and we knew it would be a tough one coming in,” Tri-Valley Coach Kevin Delaney said. “This game got us into sectionals so we definitely wanted to lock that down. We still have to play Fallsburg again on their home court as well, and if we close out in Class B then there’s still a chance for a home sectional game since it’s a close league right now. We’ve beat them all except Burke so I’m still very hopeful for this season.”

“Tri-Valley played a good game,” said Fallsburg Coach Lionel White. “It went back and forth for a while but we let it slip away late in the fourth quarter. Tri-Valley hit their free throws and played as a team. It was a tough loss to a rival team, but we are learning a lot about ourselves and will never quit.”