The Seahawks held a 56-49 lead with 5:51 to go but the Oilers scored eight-straight points culminating with a three-point shot by Zach Kimber with 4:18 left that pushed Huntington into a 57-56 lead.
The teams were tied twice more before Kimber again hit from the three-point range, this time with 2:27 on the clock, to give Huntington the lead for good at 64-61.
The game also served as a get-together for the Oilers’ Trevor Carroll, and Seahawks players Brandon Ishimoto and Takeshi Clifford.
Carroll said he has known and played basketball with Ishimoto since the age of 5, and he has played with Clifford since middle school ball at Dwyer.
They had a brief greeting before tip-off, said Carroll, who guarded Clifford in the game’s early going before switching off.
Huntington and Ocean View also played in the same tournament in Hawaii during the holiday break in late-December, but never met on the court.
“It was fun to play against them,” said Carroll, a guard and four-year starter for the Oilers. “They are such a good team and it’s great to be able to get a win against a program like Ocean View. It’s a good victory that will give us some confidence for the rest of league play.”
Carroll, Ishimoto and Clifford made some big shots down the stretch.
Carroll finished with 10 points. He hit a jumper from the right-side of the key with 3:22 to play that put Huntington in front, 61-59, and drained two free throws with 1:56 left to give the Oilers a 66-61 lead.
Ishimoto scored 11 points, which included hitting an open three-point shot that tied the score at 59-59.
Among Clifford’s 12 points was a short jumper that tied the score for the final time at 61-61 with 2:42 left, and a three-point shot that drew the Seahawks to within 68-64 with 1:23 remaining.
Ocean View’s Avery Johnson led all scorers with 28 points. Anthony Pancoast scored 11 more for the Seahawks.
