By DOUG DONNELLY

OTTAWA LAKE – Whiteford’s boys basketball team is learning to win this season.

The Bobcats beat Madison Friday, 41-38, on a last-second shot by Shea Ruddy. What was even more impressive was the fact that the Bobcats went into the fourth quarter down 32-23 but roared back with a 19-point quarter.

“I’m really proud of the guys,” Whiteford coach Nick Abalos said. “They fought hard and came back.”

Whiteford’s defense put the clamps on Madison in the final quarter and its offense had its most productive quarter of the night.

Madison went up 38-35 with 1:07 remaining on a driving basket by Dominic Regalado. With just inside a minute to play, Whiteford’s Isaiah Joerin hit a triple from the top of the key to make it 38-38.

Madison got the ball back and called timeout. Just inside of 30 seconds, the Trojans drove to the basket, missed and Cole Giesige grabbed the rebound. He got to halfcourt and Abalos called timeout.

“We had a designed a play, then it broke up and the kids improvised,” Abalos said.

Ruddy had the ball with about 10 seconds to go and found Giesige in the post. As Ruddy moved to the wing, Giesige passed it back to the sophomore, who hit the 3-pointer just before the buzzer. The referee’s gave Madison a timeout with 1.3 seconds on the clock, but their shot from half court was off target.

It’s the second time this season Whiteford has beaten Madison on a last-second basket. In the game played at Madison last month, Luke Rasor scored at the buzzer. The two teams meet again Tuesday in the first round of the Division 3 district tournament.

Giesige and Joerin finished with 13 points apiece and Ruddy had 11.

The Bobcats are 6-7 on the season and finished 6-5 in the Tri-County Conference.

Whiteford 41, Madison 38

Madison 7-13-12-6=38

Whiteford 5-12-5-19=41

MADISON: Burciaga 1(1) 0-0 3, Palpant 3 0-1 6, Neal 1 0-0 2, Roberts 4 3-3 11, Theriot 2 0-0 4, Ashford 5 0-0 10, Regalado 1 0-0 2. Totals. 17(1) 3-4 38.

WHITEFORD: Ruddy 4(3) 0-0 11, I. Joerin 4(2) 3-3 13, Rasor 1 0-0 2, Willis 0 1-2 1, Giesige 5(2) 1-2 13, Hillard 0 1-2 1. Totals 14(7) 6-9 41.