CHANUTE – It was definitely a crazy game at the gym they call ‘The Sho’ Monday night.

Barton and Neosho went blow for blow the final 10 minutes of regulation and five more in overtime before Diovonte Caldwell gave the Cougars a buzzer-beating win, 86-85 in overtime.

It was the second time the Cougars beat the buzzer. The first came at the end of regulation when Leondre Washington hit an improbable shot to send the game to overtime.

“Somehow, we got out of this with a win,” Coach Craig Fletchall said. “This is a big win for us. You don’t get to beat the buzzer twice very often. Now we can go to break with a little mo on our side.”

Down by two points with 7.9 seconds to play, Caldwell grabbed a missed Neosho free throw, dribble down the floor and buried a 25-footer for what looked the final play of the game. After a wild celebration, the officials put 0.8 back on the clock.

A desperation heave by the Panthers wasn’t close.

It capped an overtime that saw nine lead changes as the teams traded blows like a heavyweight title fight. 

But none of that would have matter it not for the earlier heroics of Washington. 

Down 75-73 in the final seconds of regulation, Caldwell missed a 3-pointer for the lead, John Williams missed a follow on the baseline.

Then just ahead of the buzzer Washington grabbed Williams miss in midair about 10 feet from the basket in the lane and without coming to the floor flip it in the basket to tie it at 75-all and send it to overtime.

It was back-and-forth the entire overtime.

With two minutes left in OT, Akeem White gave the Cougars a 83-82 lead on the seventh lead change. But an eighth led change would give the Panthers the lead back, 84-83 with 1:37 to play.

That is how the game stayed until the final seconds. 

There the Cougars missed a pair of chances to take the lead but Neosho couldn’t get a rebound. After the second miss – a Washington trey – the ball went out of bounds back to the Cougars with 7.9 seconds to play.

But an offensive foul by White on a nullified made basket and gave the ball to Neosho. Barton would foul immediately. Sai Fisher hit just 1-of-2 setting up Caldwell’s heroics.

Early, it didn’t look like the game would come down to the final seconds – twice.

Neosho shot out of the gates to a 17-4 lead less than five minutes into the game. That lead grew to 23-7 as Coach Fletchall burnt his second timeout.

The Cougars then settled in a bit but still trailed at half 43-30.

Barton finally got things rolling when Washington converted a 4-point play with 13:45 to play to make it 57-49. 

That was the first of three straight 3-pointers by the sophomore point guard that cut the lead to 59-55 heading into the media time out with 9:53 to play.

Barton continued to close the gap. White scored back-to-back buckets to make it a 60-59 game with eight minute to play.

The Cougars took their lead since 2-0 when Washington knocked down a pair of free throws to surpass his season high with his 22nd point for a 61-60 lead. Two more free throws made it 63-60 with 6:38 to play.

Martin Vogts kept the run going with two more charity tosses to push the run to 10-0 and the lead to 65-60 before Neosho finally ended with a 3-pointer from Brian Tolefree at the 5:36 mark.

After that, neither team had a lead of more than three points the rest of the way.

Barton trailed 75-72 with 23 seconds and had the ball but Neosho would not let the Cougars get off a 3-pointer, fouling Washington, who hit 1-of-2.

The Cougars got the rebound off the missed second free throw. John Williams missed a 3-pointer for the lead but the went out off Neosho, giving Barton one last chance with 8.8 seconds to play setting up the Washington basket to send the game to overtime.

Washington and White both ended with a career-high 26 points. Caldwell added 12 and eight assists. His game winning 3-pointer was the only trey after missing his first six of the night. Vogts finished with 10.

Barton is now done until Jan. 5 when Butler will come to the Barton Gym as the conference resumes action. Tip will be 7:30 p.m.

9 Barton 86, Neosho 85

Barton 30 45 11 – 86

Neosho 43 32 10 – 85

Barton (11-2, 2-2) 86

Vogts 4-8 2-3 10, Washington 8-14 7-9 26, Caldwell 4-12 3-4 12, White 11-16 4-4 26, Gildyard 1-4 1-6 3, Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Hunt 0-1 0-0 0, Bryson 0-0 0-0 0, Enneking 1-2 2-4 4, Williams 1-10 0-0 2, Amandio 0-0 0-0 0. Totals – 31-69 19-34 86.

Neosho (8-4, 2-2) 85

Tolefree 8-11 1-3 19, Benton 1-4 1-4 2, Reliford 4-9 0-0 11, Adup 0-1 0-0 0, Taliaferro 0-5 0-0 0, Bittle 0-0 0-0 0, Fisher 4-12 7-9 16, Taylor 2-4 0-0 4, Williams 2-3 0-4 4, McMiller 6-13 3-3 17, Yang 4-12 2-4 11. Totals – 31-74 14-27 85.

3-pointers – Barton 5-24 (Washington 3-6, Caldwell 1-7, Williams 1-7, Hunt 0-1 Vogts 0-3), Neosho 9-25 (Reliford 3-8, Tolefree 2-4, McMiller 2-3, Yang 1-3, Fisher 1-2, Adup 0-1, Taliaferro 1-4).

Rebounds – Barton 44 (White, Gildyard 7), Neosho 46 (Yang, Benton 8). Assists – Barton 15 (Caldwell 8), Neosho 14 (Taylor 5). Steals – Barton 9 (Vogts 4), Neosho 3 (McMiller 3). Blocks – Barton 2 (White, Gildyard), Neosho 6 (Williams 5).

Turnovers – Barton 15, Neosho 14. Fouled Out – Williams, Neosho. Technicals – None.