As Charlie Marquardt calmly stepped to the line, sinking a pair of free throws that would force a fifth and deciding game in the Basketball Super League final, chants of "MVP" boomed throughout the old barn on Elgin.
Truth be told, on this night at least, that moniker was likely better awarded to teammate Duane Notice - though a good number of the Sudbury Five lineup deserved credit for the 100-97 win over the K-W Titans that knotted this matchup at 2-2.
With a 27 point performance that included a 10/14 effort from the foul line, Duane Notice willed his team back into a game that they trailed by 15 with just six minutes elapsed from the opening tipoff.
Driving to the basket relentlessly, Notice would be awarded nearly as many free throws as the entire Titans roster combined (17, to be precise).
One could point to a defensive surge that saw the Five bounce back from watching the visitors torched them for 31 first quarter points, only to hold K-W to 66 in the next three quarters combined.
Just a few minutes after Antoine Mason nailed a three-point basket to give the Titans a six-point lead at 91-85 with less than five minutes to play, the largest lead of a fourth quarter that frequently saw the teams separated by just one point, Emmanuel Akot answered for Sudbury, restoring a 96-95 advantage.
The entire second half was nothing if not a see-saw affair.
Sliding in behind Notice on the Sudbury scoring parade were Charlie Marquardt (18 points - but only one three-point basket), and Tyquane Goard and Emmanuel Akot with 13 points each.
James Towns was red-hot out of the gate, finishing with a team high 21 points for the Titans, with Antoine Mason (18), Jaylen Bland (14) and Tyshon Pickett all chasing him down as the game wore on.
The top rebounder for his team, Pickett would miss the final four minutes of play after suffering a leg/knee injury on a collision near the basket, retreating quite gingerly to the dressing room, post game.
Game five is set for Wednesday night in Kitchener as the Five now have to defend their crown on the road if they are to repeat as BSL champs.
