ONIDA – Aberdeen Roncalli came up big when it mattered most Monday night.

The Cavaliers overcame a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit to grab a 62-59 non-conference boys’ basketball win over Sully Buttes.

“The fourth quarter we had guys make plays,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher.

Trailing 56-51 with three and half minutes remaining, the Cavaliers closed with a flurry. Zane Backous made a three-pointer before Maddox May scored inside and also made two free throws to put Roncalli on top with 1:33 left.

Darwin Gambler and Aiden Fisher kept the Cavaliers in front by making two foul shots apiece in the final minute to secure the victory.

“We hit our free throws,” Gallagher said. “That was big.”

Roncalli led by 10 points late in the first before the Chargers caught fire. The host team outscored Roncalli 27-10 during one stretch to lead by as much as seven early in the final period.

“A couple of their guys just did a lot of really good things,” Gallagher said.

However, the Cavaliers did not panic. Gallagher talked about a time out in the middle of the fourth quarter that helped to turn the momentum.

“As we called a time out and came to our huddle, Maddox Miller stepped up and said, ‘Heads up, heads up. We’re fine, we’re going to do this,'” Gallagher said. “And you could see the spirits kind of lifted and the guys just battled the rest of the way, and played with a lot of toughness and played with a lot of pride and finished the deal.”

Miller led a balanced Roncalli attack with 16 points. Gambler followed with 12, Jayden Munroe contributed 11 and Backous had nine.

Sully Buttes received 23 points from Wesley Wittler, 20 from Landon Hepker, and 14 from Thomas Farries.

Roncalli, 3-2 on the season, plays host to Sisseton on Thursday at Roncalli Gym. The Cavaliers have won three of their last four games.

“It’s going to take consistent improvement to keep growing and keep getting better,” Gallagher said, “but it’s a good start.”

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (3-2): Maddox Miller 6 0-0 16, Caden Shelton 1 0-0 2, Darwin Gambler 4 4-5 12, Aiden Fisher 1 2-2 4, Maddox May 2 2-2 6, Brody Weinmeister 0 2-4 2, Jayden Munroe 3 4-8 11, Zane Backous 3 2-2 9. Totals 20 16-23 62.

SULLY BUTTES (0-4): Landon Hepker 7 5-7 20, Wesley Wittler 8 4-5 23, Thomas Farries 5 1-2 14, Trevor Marshall 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 10-14 59.

Aberdeen Roncalli 18 32 42 62

Sully Buttes 10 25 47 59

3-point field goals – Miller 4, Munroe, Backous; Hepker, Wittler 3, Farries 3. Fouled out – Sully Buttes, Logan Severson. Total fouls – Aberdeen Roncalli 16; Sully Buttes 18.