RED SPRINGS — A back-and-forth game that rarely had more than a four-point spread ended all knotted up Wednesday in regulation, sending Red Springs and visiting West Bladen into overtime — where the Knights got a pair of free throws from Sayaun Dent and sealed a 42-40 non-conference win.

West Bladen improved to 2-2 and will go back on the road to face South Brunswick on Friday.

The Red Devils opened the game with a 6-2 run, but a three-pointer by Jimmy Williams sparked a 7-3 spurt for the Knights that knotted the game at 9-9. Red Springs dropped in a late bucket to take an 11-9 edge after the first quarter.

Keshawn Lewis bombed in a three-pointer and West Bladen outscored Red Springs by an 11-7 margin in the second stanza to take a 20-18 advantage into halftime.

Williams hit another three-pointer in the third quarter as the Knights came out of intermission and took a 29-26 lead after three periods.

In the fourth frame, Red Springs fought back to knot the game at 33-33 with a 7-4 spurt, then used a 6-2 run to open a 39-35 lead with just over 2 minutes to play. But West Bladen stormed back, getting free throws from Kalvin Page and, after a free throw by the Red Devils, Dent dropped in his game-tying free throw as time ran out.

In overtime, Dent’s pair of free throws with 40 seconds remaining were the only points from either team.

Dent led West Bladen with a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds, followed by John Bowen with eight points and seven boards.

***

Lady Knights fall big

***

In Red Springs on Wednesday, the Lady Red Devils opened a 30-16 halftime lead and never looked back en route to a 60-38 non-conference win over West Bladen.

The Lady Knights fell to 2-3 and will travel to face South Brunswick on Friday.

Red Springs got out of the gate fast, using a 17-8 burst through the opening period behind a trio of three-pointers.

The Lady Red Devils buried two more long-range shots and used a 13-8 second stanza to take a 14-point advantage into intermission.

West Bladen battled back in the third quarter, getting five points from Jerena Purdie, but three-pointers continued to rain down from Red Springs, and three more gave the Lady Red Devils a 47-28 lead after three quarters.

Down the stretch, Patience Parker drained a three-pointer for the Lady Knights, but Red Springs sealed the win with a 13-10 period.

Logan Autry led West Bladen with 10 points, while Akira Grimes scored seven and Laikyn Pait had six.