The Peninsula College men lost a heart-breaker in the NWAC Championship on March 18, going to overtime before falling to North Idaho College, 90-83.

“The guys poured their hearts out all year. We just ran out of time,” Peninsula head coach Mitch Freeman said. “We did all the things we had to do to win. We were where we wanted to be.”

Peninsula built a lead 1as big as 20 points but the Cardinals rallied, going on an 11-0 run to catch the Pirates at 60-60 in the second half.

North Idaho was clinging to a 72-71 lead with 19 seconds left when Peninsula’s Cameron Burton was fouled. He made his first free throw to tie it, missed his second, then got the rebound after a mad scramble and scored on a layup to give the Pirates the lead at 74-72 with 16 seconds left.

The Cardinals’ Rayquan Evans, who finished the game with 28 points, was fouled with 8 seconds left and made a pair of free throws to tie it at 74-74. A long 3-pointer at the buzzer by the Pirates’ Colby Jackson wouldn’t fall.

In overtime, the Cardinals seized control of the game, building up a lead of 84-78. Burton made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 84-80 with 51 seconds left, and after Evans made one of two free throws, Peninsula’s Trent Warren banked in a long 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to make it 85-83.

The Cardinals sank three out of their next four free throws to make it 88-83. With eight seconds remaining, a 3-pointer by Jackson appeared to be headed in, but sank halfway down the well and rattled out. That was the Pirates’ last gasp.

Freeman said his players had championship experience at the high school level and that helped propel the Pirates through their tournament run.

“This group really came together as a family. They bought in to each other and trusted each other,” he said.

“It was a great run. I’m proud of them.”

Burton led the Pirates with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Jackson scored 14 with eight assists and six rebounds.

Warren scored 14 with eight rebounds, while Marky Adams had 13 points and nine rebounds. Kaelin Crane scored 13 points.

The Pirates end their season at 22-11.

Burton and Jackson were named to the NWAC All-Tournament First Team and Warren to the All-Tournament second team. Jackson averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game during the tourney, while Burton averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals. Warren chipped in 12 points and 6.5 boards per contest.