WALES — Oak Hill’s always-finicky gymnasium clock began behaving like so many frozen furnaces, faucets and ignitions during the fourth quarter Tuesday night.

The disappearing digits caused multiple delays but did nothing to destroy the daunting evidence. The on-and-off bulbs told a tale of the Raiders’ mounting misses, a developing deficit and trifling time to fix it.

Maine Central Institute enjoyed a run at the conclusion of the third quarter that never really ended in the fourth, hoisting the Huskies to a 60-47 KVAC Class B victory.

Up by eight points late in the second period, five at the half and one with 2:34 remaining in the third, Oak Hill (3-10) shot 7-for-36 around the technical difficulties after intermission.

“Offensively in the first half I thought we looked pretty good,” Oak Hill coach Jared Browne said. “The second half I thought we stood around and watched too much and didn’t try to make things happen. We played to the defense instead of taking it to the defense. When we do that, we don’t tend to score a lot.”

Meanwhile, MCI seniors Craig Reazor and Tyler Maloon scored repeatedly and at will: Two-guard Maloon from 3-point range; point man Reazor from the free-throw line.

Reazor scored 14 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 10-of-13 from the stripe. He also distributed nine assists.

That leadership and maturity are no accident, noted MCI coach Frank McGrady.

“He’s an emancipated kid. (He lives) on his own,” McGrady said. “He’s a great kid. I think sometimes he doesn’t realize how great a kid he is. He’s surrounded by some really good kids who take care of him and are part of him. He is tough.”

Maloon knocked down five 3-pointers for the Huskies (3-10), including back-to-back bombs out the locker room to erase Oak Hill’s halftime advantage. He finished with 19 points and six rebounds.

They’re two of four senior starters for MCI. The lone junior, Adam Ogden, ripped down four of his team-leading 11 rebounds via the offensive glass in the third period.

All those MCI strengths appeared on Oak Hill’s scouting report. Knowing them and stopping them weren’t one and the same.

“Ogden just killed us. We didn’t even attempt to box him out at times. Reazor is a seasoned vet. He took it to us in the fourth quarter. He made sure they didn’t let that lead get away. And Maloon, we knew he was a shooter and for some reason we didn’t close out on him and he made us pay,” Browne said. “That’s what we knew about them coming in. They did exactly what I thought they would do to us, and we didn’t adjust like we needed to adjust.”

Cam Morin led Oak Hill with 19 points, including four 3-pointers, and 12 rebounds. Cody Provost piled up eight of his 11 points in the first half, when the Raiders (3-10) rallied from an early seven-point deficit and took temporary command.

Morin mustered seven points and Provost six during a 17-2 run. Jamiel Kidd’s put-back punctuated the flurry and crested the Raiders’ lead at 24-16 with 4:35 to go.

Oak Hill’s cold snap started there, with only two more hoops prior to the half. Maloon resuscitated the Huskies with a 3-pointer. Trey Vintinner (10 points) and Kaleb Chute each added a hoop and reduced MCI’s halftime deficit to 28-23.

In their huddle at intermission, MCI players voiced their displeasure with Oak Hill’s 7-2 disparity in trips to the free-throw line. McGrady’s simple message to his team: Get tougher.

Ogden’s rebounding and Vintinner’s offense provided that muscle after Maloon got the Huskies started from the perimeter.

“When you play with the officials from the southwest, it’s a little rougher. I’m not picking on the refs. That’s just how it is. Guys were in there complaining, ‘Oh, they’re fouling.’ Then you need to adjust,” McGrady said. “Ogden’s an animal. He’s a linebacker and fullback on the football team. He’s just a beast in there.”

Brian Bradstreet’s 3-point play and Morin’s baseline jumper gave Oak Hill its last lead, 33-32.

Vintinner, Reazor and Maloon scored the final five points of the quarter to trigger a decisive 18-2 MCI surge. Seven of those points came at the line.

Oak Hill remains mathematically alive for the Western B playoffs.

“We have five left, all of them (Heal) point-worthy games. If we win out, I think we have a chance,” Browne said. “I would have liked to win this one to get some momentum.”

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