RICHMOND — The Madison Southern Eagles picked up a big 57-54 come-from-behind win over Tates Creek Tuesday.

The Eagles scored the first 10 points of the second half to take a lead which they held until Vince Mattox gave the Commodores a 54-52 lead with only 26 second left in the game.

The Eagles came right back to retake the lead at 55-54 on a driving bucket and a free throw by Tyler Abshear with just 12.4 seconds left.

Mattox was fouled on the ensuing Commodore possession with just 4.4 seconds left on the clock, but he missed both free throws.

Mike Rothermel grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 2.4 seconds left.

Southern had missed four of their last six free throws inside the final two minutes which had allowed the Commodores to get back into the game.

But Rothermel walked to the line and calmly sank two free throws to seal the victory and send the Southern student section spilling out onto the floor.

“It was a big win and we needed it. “We turned up the heat and got after them in the second half. That’s our game, when we play with a lot of emotion we’re tough,” Southern coach Shane Buttry said. “I’m proud of our guys tonight. When they got the lead our guys were saying, ‘We’re not going to lose this game.”

Abshear had a huge night after missing the Eagles’ last game with an injury.

Abshear, a senior point guard, finished with 30 points, 25 of which came in the first half, including four three pointers in the first quarter.

Drew Taylor finished with 11 points and came up with several big rebounds and steals in the final three minutes that thwarted Commodore scoring opportunities and gave the Eagles the opportunity to come back for the win.

Rothermel had 10 points on the night. His two three pointers at the beginning of the second half gave the Eagles a nine-point lead and the free throws at the end closed out the win.

Spencer Stone had four points, while Damien Harris added two points. While neither had a lot of points, their defense and rebounding, especially down the stretch were pivotal for the Eagles.

Behind the sharpshooting of Abshear, the Eagles ran out to a 20-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Commodores slowed the game down in the second quarter and slowly cut into the Eagles lead, then two Mattox free throws gave them a 27-26 lead at the half.

“We hadn’t played since last Tuesday so we were a little sluggish coming out,” Buttry said. “At halftime I said, ‘We’ve got to turn it up. I don’t want to watch this, it’s slow and we don’t play good ball.’”

The Eagles evidently paid attention.

Damien Harris hit two free throws to begin the half and start the 10-0 run.

Rothermel drained a three pointer and Abshear hit a driving shot in the lane. Rothermel’s second three of the half put the Eagles up 36-27 three minutes into the third quarter.

The Commodores once again slowly cut into the lead and got it down to three at 42-39 at the end of the third quarter.

The Eagles rebuilt their lead to seven on a basket by Spencer Stone and two free throws by Drew Taylor before Tates Creek made its comeback to take the late lead.

But unlike some earlier games, the Eagles made all the big plays when they needed them down the stretch, coming up with every loose ball inside the final two minutes and controlling the backboard on both ends.

“They don’t quit. Last year we would have lost this game,” Buttry said. “At the end we got the loose balls. I think we had more energy than they did, but it was all hustle and we wanted it a little more. In a close game like this you have to make those hustle plays and if you don’t you end up losing. I’m really proud of the way our guys fought tonight.”

The Eagles return to action Friday when Woodford County comes to Berea for a 7:30 tip-off.

The Eagles scored the first 10 points of the second half to take a lead which they held until Vince Mattox gave the Commodores a 54-52 lead with only 26 second left in the game.

The Eagles came right back to retake the lead at 55-54 on a driving bucket and a free throw by Tyler Abshear with just 12.4 seconds left.

Mattox was fouled on the ensuing Commodore possession with just 4.4 seconds left on the clock, but he missed both free throws.

Mike Rothermel grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 2.4 seconds left.

Southern had missed four of their last six free throws inside the final two minutes which had allowed the Commodores to get back into the game.

But Rothermel walked to the line and calmly sank two free throws to seal the victory and send the Southern student section spilling out onto the floor.

“It was a big win and we needed it. “We turned up the heat and got after them in the second half. That’s our game, when we play with a lot of emotion we’re tough,” Southern coach Shane Buttry said. “I’m proud of our guys tonight. When they got the lead our guys were saying, ‘We’re not going to lose this game.”

Abshear had a huge night after missing the Eagles’ last game with an injury.

Abshear, a senior point guard, finished with 30 points, 25 of which came in the first half, including four three pointers in the first quarter.

Drew Taylor finished with 11 points and came up with several big rebounds and steals in the final three minutes that thwarted Commodore scoring opportunities and gave the Eagles the opportunity to come back for the win.

Rothermel had 10 points on the night. His two three pointers at the beginning of the second half gave the Eagles a nine-point lead and the free throws at the end closed out the win.

Spencer Stone had four points, while Damien Harris added two points. While neither had a lot of points, their defense and rebounding, especially down the stretch were pivotal for the Eagles.

Behind the sharpshooting of Abshear, the Eagles ran out to a 20-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Commodores slowed the game down in the second quarter and slowly cut into the Eagles lead, then two Mattox free throws gave them a 27-26 lead at the half.

“We hadn’t played since last Tuesday so we were a little sluggish coming out,” Buttry said. “At halftime I said, ‘We’ve got to turn it up. I don’t want to watch this, it’s slow and we don’t play good ball.’”

The Eagles evidently paid attention.

Damien Harris hit two free throws to begin the half and start the 10-0 run.

Rothermel drained a three pointer and Abshear hit a driving shot in the lane. Rothermel’s second three of the half put the Eagles up 36-27 three minutes into the third quarter.

The Commodores once again slowly cut into the lead and got it down to three at 42-39 at the end of the third quarter.

The Eagles rebuilt their lead to seven on a basket by Spencer Stone and two free throws by Drew Taylor before Tates Creek made its comeback to take the late lead.

But unlike some earlier games, the Eagles made all the big plays when they needed them down the stretch, coming up with every loose ball inside the final two minutes and controlling the backboard on both ends.

“They don’t quit. Last year we would have lost this game,” Buttry said. “At the end we got the loose balls. I think we had more energy than they did, but it was all hustle and we wanted it a little more. In a close game like this you have to make those hustle plays and if you don’t you end up losing. I’m really proud of the way our guys fought tonight.”

The Eagles return to action Friday when Woodford County comes to Berea for a 7:30 tip-off.