Sports : School History: Down by 20, Vikings rally to defeat Marion in overtime, 82-74

Brody Beatty lays one in for the Vikings in the first half.

Jake Dyson won the tipoff for overtime...

getting the ball to Logan Williams who gave the Vikes the lead for good with this 3-pointer.

Viking defenders challenge an Indian in the first half.

Logan Williams was fouled on this play.

The Indians held the Vikes to 23 first-half points; they scored 43 in the second half and 16 in OT.

Jake Dyson was fouled on this play; his free throws helped the Vikings' late rally.

Gunner Tranel went to the free throw line late in the game.

Jake Dyson fights for the ball in the second half.

The first of two tipoffs...

78 to go; Gunner Tranel scores the Vikes' first 2.

Logan Williams looks to make a second half pass.

Brody Beatty goes up for a first half shot.

Two Indians defend against a layup attempt by Brody Beatty in the first half.

Gunner Tranel fights for a loose ball.

John Lippman attempts a free throw in the second half.

Historic win: Vikings come back from 20 down; beat Marion in OT.

Logan Williams pulls up for a short jumper in the first half.

Students form a line to congratulate Vikings after win over Marion.

[VIDEO]

Behind Marion by 20 early in the third, the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings slowly clawed their way back into their basketball game against the Indians Friday night.

They got the lead down to five in the final minute before two sophomores tied the game. A three point shots by Max Kearns cut the lead to two. A few moments later, Grant Sagan tied the game at 66.

Then the Vikings, led by senior guard Logan Williams, dominated overtime, defeating Marion 82-74. The win is coach Joe Johnson's first over the Indians.

Johnson said there is no big explanation for the comeback, other than "execution." The Vikings, he said started playing better defense, and started making more of their shots -- they had a lot of close misses early.

And, says their coach, they had the momentum.

"Once we got into overtime, there was no stopping us. Logan hit that 3 -- that was huge," said Johnson. Williams hit the three a few seconds after Jake Dyson won the overtime tip-off.

The Vikings, who had never led once in regulation, never trailed the Indians after that shot. Williams was fouled and made two free throws. Dyson hit another three to give the Vikings a five-point lead that Marion could not overcome.

The last minute of the game found the Vikings repeatedly going to the free throw line, where they hit enough to preserve the victory. The Vikings were 17-of-26 in free throws.

Williams led the Vikings with 29 points, including going 10-12 from the free throw line; Brody Beatty scored 26. Jake Dyson added 12; Gunner Tranel, 7. Sagan scored five while Kearns finished with the three biggest points of his young Viking basketball career.

Slow start for VS

Using their size advantage inside and some big 3-point shots, the Marion Indians jumped to an early lead. The Indians led 22-12 at the end of the first period, and extended the lead to 34-23 at halftime. The Vikings got down 45-25 just two minutes into the third period, but narrowed the lead to 7, 53-46 by the end of the third. They then outscored the Indians, 20-13, in the final frame to force the game into overtime.