Bellaire’s Kayla Edgar (4) passes the basketball to Tamya Morgan (11) as Union Local’s Ameera Saunders (21) defends during action from Thursday night’s OVAC WVU Medicine Class 3A Third-Place game inside the ‘House of Champions’ in Bellaire. The Jets won, 42-41. Edgar had 12 points for the Big Reds. Photo by Kim North

BELLAIRE — Myah Martin only had four points in Thursday night’s OVAC WVU Medicine Class 3A third-place game against Bellaire, but three of them were the most important points of the night.

The Union Local (17-5) senior buried a three-point shot from the left wing with 15.9 seconds remaining to lift the Jets to a thrill-packed, 42-41, decision inside the ‘House of Champions’ at Bellaire High School.

“That was the biggest shot of Myah’s career. She needed that,” Union Local head coach Lou “Scooter” Tolzda said. “She needed a shot like that to fall in a number of ways. She made it. We made a defensive stand and we beat a pretty good team.”

Bellaire inbounded the ball and brought it across halfcourt before calling timeout with 8.5 ticks left. After head coach John Farrier set up the potential game-winning shot, the Big Reds (17-5) got the ball down low, but the shot rolled off the rim as the final buzzer sounded.

“They made quite a few three’s throughout the game and they made a lot of shots. That’s kind of been our luck all year as teams have shot well against us from behind the three-point line,” Farrier pointed out. “That was a big shot by No. 23.”

Despite seven first quarter turnovers, Union Local held a 10-6 advantage as Bellaire started an ice-cold 2-for-9 from the floor and had four turnovers. The Jets extended the margin to 22-14 at the half.

“The first half we came out flat and I thought we were just going through the motions,” Farrier explained. “In the second half we came out and played some good basketball with some high energy. I saw a lot of good things from some different people.”

The Jets lead grew to a game-high 12, 26-14, early in the third quarter on baskets by Ella Pietranton and Laken Vinskovich. However, the Big Reds battled back to within three, 35-32, at the end of the third quarter before completing a 12-0 run with a pair of free throws from Zara Harveth in tacking a 40-35 lead with 1:26 remaining in the game.

Union Local went nearly 10 minutes between baskets and only scored one point in a span of eight minutes. However, the Jets netted seven of the final eight points to pull out the win and take the rubber match between the two Buckeye 8 rivals.

“We have trouble scoring sometimes,” Tolzda stressed. “It was falling apart on us. We were walking the plank and were about ready to take the plunge, but we found a way to give ourselves a chance to win.”

The triumph also gives the Jets some much-needed confidence heading into Ohio Division V sectional tournament in which they are the No. 1 seed and host No. 12 Coshocton on Thursday, Feb. 13.

“This game was really, really important for us. We had lost two games and didn’t play well against Fort Frye at all,” Tolzda noted. “We needed this win going into the sectional tournament.”

Pietranton was the lone Jet in double figures with 11 points. Saunders added eight as did Alli Kellaway in a reserve role. Vinskovich led in rebounds with eight as Union Local held a commanding, 31-18, advantage. Martin grabbed five.

Harveth and Kayla Edgar evenly divided 24 points to pace Bellaire. Aubree Hines had seven and Eliana Mason six. Edgar also had five rebounds.

Union Local had double the turnovers at 20-10.

Bellaire, seeded No. 2 in the Ohio Division VI sectional tournament, hosts No. 9 Shadyside on Wednesday.