A 'miracle' is answered for Francis Scott Key boys basketball

Time wasn't on Francis Scott Key's side when the Eagles faced Pikesville on Feb. 28 and the Eagles trailing late in the fourth quarter.

A trip to the Class 1A South Region 1 boys basketball final was at stake, and after an early lead evaporated it seemed as if FSK's playoff run was going to be one-and-done. But the Eagles scraped together a final chance, and coach Ryan Kimble's "miracle" scenario played out.

Jaeden Heiser's rebound on a missed 3-pointer resulted in a trip to the free-throw line with 3.4 seconds left and Pikesville leading 48-45. Heiser made the first and missed the second on purpose, hoping his Eagles would snag an offensive rebound.

That they did -- Elijah Harris grabbed the board and found Logan Milstreed all alone behind the 3-point line while Pikesville's players collapsed under the basket. Milstreed stroked the trey as time ran out, and Francis Scott Key won 49-48 in a wild finish.

Milstreed led the Eagles (16-7) with 24 points and Liam McGrath added 15 (7-for-8 free throws in the fourth quarter). Francis Scott Key won without Ryan Rill, the county's leading scorer, who had to sit Monday's game out because of an ejection he sustained during the football postseason (MPSSAA rules).

It was a crazy scene inside Beard Gymnasium, one that we did out best to highlight from the NFHS Network footage.

You can catch that below, and also read a little more about the playoff game thanks to this ESPN.com report.

The Eagles host Loch Raven on March 2 for a chance to play in the state quarterfinals. Expect Rill, who leads Carroll with 22.6 points per game, to return to the court after a one-game absence. 

The format has changed in recent years, and the path to a state tournament game isn't quite as long as it once was.

But FSK can get there for the first time since 1977 with one more victory.