The Emporia High School boys basketball team lost a heartbreaker at the buzzer of double overtime against Parkview, 68-65, in the third-place game of the Ralph Miller Classic in Chanute on Saturday afternoon. 

With the game tied at 65 in the second overtime frame, Parkview had the ball last and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to secure the win. The Vikings led by nine with about four minutes to play in the fourth quarter when Emporia started to chip away. A basket from King and a 3-pointer from Parker Leeds made it a four-point game. 

The teams traded baskets and Parkview hit a pair of free throws to make it a six-point game late, but Emporia answered with buckets from King, Leeds and a floater from Sheldon Stewart at the buzzer to tie the game at 51 and force overtime. Emporia led by three late in the first overtime with King scoring six of the Spartans’ eight points, but Parkview answered with a 3-pointer to force a second extra frame. 

The game began with free throws for Emporia after two Parkview players picked up fouls for dunking during warmups, and King hit three of four from the line to give Emporia the early lead. Emporia scored the first seven points of the game and Parkview would chip away to make it 14-11 Spartans after the first quarter. The Vikings took their first lead of the game in the second quarter and led 25-21 at the half. 

Emporia would take a four-point lead thanks to two buckets from Cooper Rech and a 3-pointer from Jalyn King before Parkview answered with a 7-0 run on its own to regain the lead and take a three-point advantage into the fourth quarter. Coach Lee Baldwin says his team really wanted to end the tournament on a high note. King led three Spartans in double figures with 18 points. Leeds added 15 points and River Peters had 10. 

Emporia (9-4) returns to Centennial League play when it travels to Manhattan on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m.