(GILBERT, Ariz.) Boys basketball narrowly avoided overtime in its regional match-up against Benjamin Franklin Monday. Gilbert Christian won the contest 52-49, thanks in large part to freshman Colin Burke's nerves of steel at the charity stripe in the final minute of play.

Burke went four-for-four from the line to keep the Knights' safely out front, and necessarily so, as the Chargers' final heave just missed at the buzzer.
 

"Ben Franklin is a team on the rise," Head Coach Jason Pasquariello said. "I was encouraged that our defense got better as the game went on. To come out and give up twenty points in the first was not optimal, but locking in and only giving up seven in the fourth was huge. Jace had some huge threes in the second that injected some fire into us, and Logan and Owen were very consistent all game. Colin played some good defense and has so much confidence stepping up in those moments at the end of the game with those four free throws."
 

Senior Jace Olson finished the night with game-highs in points (17), rebounds (7) and blocks (3). The Knights got additional double-digit numbers from seniors Logan Lucero and Owen Fermoyle, who scored 10 apiece, and from Burke, who dropped 11. 

Lucero and Fermoyle combined for 11 of the Knights' 13 assists, and nearly half of the team's total rebounds (9) in the affair. 

Ben Franklin, for its part, grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the contest, outscoring the Knights 22-18 in the paint. The Chargers hustled throughout the game, coming up with 11 steals and 17 deflections. Fortunately for GCHS, BFHS also shot a woeful 2-for-7 (28.6%) from the free throw line, and struggled from deep, going 5-for-18 (27.8%) from 3-point land.  
 

With the win, Gilbert Christian improves to 13-1 overall. The Knights remain unbeaten (8-0) in 3A Metro play, and look to extend the streak on Wednesday against Northwest Christian at home (7:00pm). 
 

-GO KNIGHTS-