Waterford’s Avery Pottmeyer (30) dribbles ahead of Belpre’s Malik Currie (14) during Friday’s Division VI District Quarterfinal in Waterford. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

WATERFORD — The final Waterford offensive possession summarized the Wildcats’ boys basketball season in a nutshell.

In an Ohio Division VI District Quarterfinal against Belpre, Friday at Harry W. Cooper Annex, the Wildcats erased a four-point deficit as Avery Pottmeyer delivered the eventual game-winner with an open 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining in regulation and sent the Wildcats to a 35-34 victory.

Waterford improves to 12-11 and advances to the District Semifinal against top-seeded Peebles (16-2), Monday at Waverly Downtown Arena. Gametime is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Finn Pennock scored just one point for Waterford, but he found Pottmeyer open across the other side of the court after several Belpre defenders closed off Pennock’s attempt to drive to the hoop.

“If that last play doesn’t sum up the season that these guys have had — if this was the first half of the season we probably would have done something really selfish in that situation,” Waterford coach DJ Cunningham said. “But these guys have taken the challenge. They’ve come together. They really represent that the ‘we’ is greater than the ‘me’ — just like we have written on the back of our warmups.”

Waterford boys basketball coach DJ Cunningham, left, and Wildcats’ Gavin Hiener celebrate the Wildcats’ 35-34 win over Belpre, Friday in a Division VI District Quarterfinal in Waterford. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Belpre, which closes out the season at 10-12, scored the first eight points of the game and did not trail until the opening minute of the fourth quarter.

After Waterford senior Weston Fairchild scored two of his game-high 15 points to cut Belpre’s lead in half at 34-32, the Wildcats forced a turnover.

The ensuing possession was one that will sting for a while within the Belpre program.

“We led for seven-eighths of the ballgame — I mean we led the whole way and were one stop away,” Belpre coach Ryan Leasure said. “We didn’t get it done. Offensive rebound. Kickout. Three. Season’s over.

“We played hard and did a lot of great things. Credit Waterford. They are a resilient bunch, a physical bunch.”

Belpre’s Malakai Ensor, left, tries to dribble around Waterford’s Weston Fairchild (10) during Friday’s Division VI District Quarterfinal in Waterford. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Belpre allowed just one field goal over the first 8 1/2 minutes of the game and built a 10-2 lead. Four different Golden Eagles contributed in the scoring column, including the team’s lone senior starter Haiden Tabler, who accounted for four of his team-high 10 points.

Belpre’s sixth-man, Hunter Terrell, is the only other senior coach Leasure loses to graduation.

“Haiden Tabler has been our guy,” Leasure said. “I told him in the locker room, if I could get one image of Belpre basketball in the way that the game needs to be played and the way we want to play, it is Haiden Tabler.

“He is going to be a huge loss for us. We are going to have to find someone to replace him as a leader, a hustler and as a defender.”

Despite hitting just 17% (3-of-18) in the first half, Waterford was by no means out of the picture and went into the locker room trailing 19-10.

Waterford’s Weston Fairchild has his eyes focused on passing to a teammate while being defended by Belpre’s Carson Woodford (23) during Friday’s Division VI District Quarterfinal in Waterford. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

In the second half, shots started falling for the Wildcats. They struck Belpre with a 6-0 run lasting nearly five minutes into the third quarter. While waiting for his teammates to climb aboard, Fairchild carried the scoring load and accounted for eight points in the period, including the last four which narrowed the gap to 27-25 heading into the fourth.

“If you had asked me last year that Weston Fairchild has the season he has had his senior year, I would probably laugh,” Cunningham said. “He had a rough year last year and it was frustrating for him. The way he has turned it around, he bears a large responsibility for the success that we have had this year.

“He does all the dirty work that we ask him to do. A lot of times he guards one of the best, if not the best player on the court. He is a guy we can count on.”

Waterford made just two 3-pointers on the night. The first did not register until the 7:20 mark of the fourth quarter when Reese Lang made his only bucket of the game and gave the Wildcats their first lead at 28-27.

Belpre’s AJ Copen, who finished with eight points, responded right back with his second three of the game. A quick two from Waterford’s Gavin Hiener tied the affair at 30.

Belpre’s Haiden Tabler, right, stays stride for stride with Waterford point guard Finn Pennock (23) during Friday’s Division VI District Quarterfinal in Waterford. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

The ‘scoring barrage’ subsided for the next three minutes. A bucket and two made free throws from Tabler put Belpre in front 34-30 with 1:23 showing.

According to Pottmeyer, nothing even came close to what he experienced after he drained the winning three.

“I saw Finn coming and I just kind of called for the ball,” Pottmeyer said. “We all trust each other and he trusted me there. It was just about having faith in your shot.

“We always knew we had the guys and the talent to make this happen. It was just a matter of coming together as a team that made it turn around.”

Belpre had lost its point guard, Malik Currie, after he fouled out at 1:08. Currie, who finished with eight points, could only play spectator as Waterford started its comeback.

Belpre’s starting five gather in a huddle prior to tip-off of Friday’s Division VI District Quarterfinal game at Waterford. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“I’m not going to comment too much on the physicality that they let go and what they did not call — unfortunately, (Currie) found five fouls somewhere. That was a big loss not having him late.

“But our guys battled.”

The Golden Eagles missed Currie as another option on the final possession, which originated at 6.2 seconds and the ball at halfcourt. With time running out, Copen took a running jumper which hit hard off the backboard and into the arms of Hiener for the defensive rebound.

Members of the Peebles coaching staff were near the sidelines when the outcome played out in the final seconds.

“There have been a lot of teams scouting us numerous games — our guys have earned that and they are a concern for anybody that steps on the floor with them any night,” Cunningham said. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t have a lot of work to get ready for in the next two days.

“This group is hungry. I’m seeing a different side the last couple of weeks leading to this game. And I’m sure that will be no different (Saturday).”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com