“Hustle, scrap and never quit” described the Oak Harbor High School boys’ efforts in Tuesday’s non-league basketball game against Burlington-Edison.

In their first home game of the season, the Wildcats hung tough against the Tigers for more than three quarters of play before a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter led Burlington-Edison to a 64-55 victory.

Oak Harbor trailed by three points at the end of the first eight minutes of play and were down 28-26 at halftime.

In the third quarter the Wildcats rallied, sparked by a 3-point basket by Jay Stout and another by Beaux Haley with 36 second remaining, tying the score at 41-41 heading into the fourth quarter of action.

Stout hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line at the 7:23 mark to give Oak Harbor the lead, 42-41, but then the Tigers caught fire.

A 3-point basket by Colin Stewart, followed by a 3-point play by Evan Coulter and a steal and score by Ian Capron, led to a 10-0 run, all within a span of less than two minutes, and gave Burlington-Edison a 51-42 lead.

“I think we showed our young age in the fourth quarter, but overall I thought we played well,” coach Mike Washington said.

After a time out, Michael Washington, Jr. broke the run by hitting a free throw, but the Tigers hit two more baskets to go up by 12, 55-43.

Burlington-Edison out scored Oak Harbor 23-14 in the fourth quarter.

The Wildcats kept pushing the ball up the floor with their transition offense and cut the lead to 57-50, but were unable to get any closer.

“They had six or seven guys who played in last year’s state championship game, I don’t think our kids knew that, and we played right with them tonight,” coach Washington said.

Rashaad Smith led Oak Harbor with 15 points and Washington, Jr. had 11.

“I thought there were a couple of times when we gave up a couple of key rebounds, but I’m proud of the way our kids played,” coach Washington said.

Coulter scored a game-high 24 points to pace the Tigers.