CLUB BASKETBALL

IT looked as though Varsity was set to claim its first win.

But, as it so often does, the Mid City Magic found a way back.

The defending champion rallied to claim a 9491 overtime win in Dunedin men's club basketball at the Edgar Centre on Saturday.

It faced a 13point fourthquarter deficit, but hauled in the margin late before closing out a tight overtime.

Centre Aaron Roydhouse scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter.

The league's leading scorer, at 23.6 points per game, proved too strong down the stretch, as the Magic repeatedly pounded it inside to him.

But it was the perimeter threats of Varsity that created the initial gap.

Micah Lepaio and Joseph Euphrat scored 28 and 34 points respectively, hitting 14 threepointers between them.

Lepaio hit four of those early as Varsity streaked out to a 2518 lead, before extending that to 4432 at halftime.

That margin became 17 in the second half and the Magic still faced a 12point deficit with five minutes to play.

But as the Varsity shooting quietened, the Magic began to take control.

It began feeding Roydhouse, who finished well and drew several fouls to haul in the difference.

When star guard Joe Ahie (21 points) fouled out, Varsity caught another break.

But a handful of useful plays from Tim KeatRoyd (14 points) and a late three from James Humm (eight points) helped force overtime at 8585.

From there, the Magic continued to find Roydhouse, who kept finding his way to the line.

The Magic held a onepoint lead when he was fouled on an inbound — resulting in an unsportsmanlike foul — from which he hit both free throws to ice the game.

The St Kilda Saints continued to show they are the league's form side in dispatching the Magic Lions 8156.

In the late game, Logan Dicker hit six threepointers to topscore with 22 points as the Andy Bay Falcons beat the City Rise Bombers 8277.

The result leaves both teams one win behind the top two sides at the end of the first round.