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FLOYD — For the first 30 minutes, the Virginia High Bearcats were in control of their VHSL Class 2 state quarterfinal boys basketball matchup against Floyd County.

Unfortunately for the Bearcats, VHSL games are 32 minutes long.

The Buffaloes scored 10 straight points in the final two minutes to rally from an eight-point deficit and eventually earned a 57-52 overtime victory on Tuesday night in a game featuring a crazy ending.

The game concluded prematurely when Virginia High was whistled for three separate technical fouls after a disputed call with 51.4 seconds left in the extra period.

Seconds later, amid the chaos in the packed gym, a VHS fan came down from the stands and tried to approach the referees on the court before he was stopped and forcibly pulled away by security.

After Bearcats players had to be restrained by coaches and teammates, each team was sent to their locker rooms before game officials called the game with Floyd County leading by five points.

Virginia High looked to have the contest under control when guard Deonta Mozell hit two free throws with a little more than two minutes remaining to give the Bearcats a 58-50 lead.

On Floyd County’s next possession, however, Mozell committed his fifth foul on a bucket by the Buffaloes’ Gavin Herrington. Mozell fouling out started a series of events that lead to the Buffaloes’ comeback and Virginia High’s disaster.

“He [Mozell] is our primary ballhandler and it was a tough break losing him to fouls,� said Virginia High coach Julius Gallishaw.

Herrington missed the ensuing three throw, but teammate Sam Phillips secured the offensive rebound and scored on a layup to cut the deficit to 48-44.

The Buffaloes then forced a jump ball on the Bearcats’ next possession. With the arrow pointing Floyd’s way, the Buffaloes got the ball back and quickly scored on a basket by Isaiah Cantrell with 1:30 left to cut the Bearcats’ advantage to two.

Finally, Floyd tied the game with 1:14 left when Herrington got a steal at midcourt and scored on a fast-break layup.

With four seconds left in regulation, Floyd guard Korey Turpin connected with Noah Farley on a back cut toward the basket, which Farley completed with a layup, giving the Buffaloes their first lead of the night and setting off a celebration from the Floyd County bench.

“I knew what I was going to run,� said Floyd County coach Brian Harman. “We’ve run that play plenty of times, but it was the first time we had run it tonight.�

Floyd County’s celebration, however, was premature as Virginia High called a timeout with four seconds left.

The Bearcats successfully got the ball down the court to Te’ron Woolen, who was open in the right corner. His jumper beat the buzzer, sending VHS players on the floor for a celebration thinking it was a 3-pointer.

However, the nearby official ruled Woolen’s foot was on the line, thus making it a 2-point basket that tied the game and forced overtime.

“At the end of regulation, we drew up a good play and I thought it was a 3, but the ref said it was a two,� Gallishaw said.

In overtime, Virginia High held the lead briefly at 52-51, but the Bearcats also lost another starter, Keshawn Smith, to fouls while big man Landon Lee played the entire OT with four fouls and picked up a technical during the game-ending incident.

“We had a bunch of people in foul trouble,� Gallishaw said. “It was an ugly game in a hostile environment.�

After the Bearcats took the lead at 52-51, they would not score again as Floyd (20-5) picked up the defensive pressure in putting together a 5-0 run before the game-ending melee began.

“We’ve been in situations like that before,� Harman said of his team’s comeback. “I knew we weren’t going away. We’ve done that all year.�

Virginia High (21-7) started off hot with a 10-0 run midway through the first quarter and had a 23-11 lead after the opening period.

Floyd cut lead to 31-27 by halftime and each squad was held to seven points in the third quarter with the Bearcats going into the fourth holding onto a 38-34 lead.

Floyd County moves on to the state semifinals on Friday where the Buffaloes will host Graham at a site to be determined, while the Bearcats saw their season come to a close.

“At the end of the day we lost. Hats off to Floyd,� Gallishaw said. “We had a heck of a season.�