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The Linganore High basketball team missed free throws, turned the ball over and committed an unnecessary foul all within the final minute of a one-possession game Thursday at Middletown.

Despite their miscues, the Lancers managed to hold on, squeaking by the Knights, 53-50 in a Monocacy Valley Athletic League Piedmont conference affair.

"We definitely made it more exciting than we should have," said Linganore senior Jeff Havenstein.

After trailing for most of the game, the Knights evened things up at 38-38 on a Kevin Harris 3-pointer from the left wing barely one minute into the fourth quarter.

Regaining possession after Linganore was called for a moving screen, Harris drained another trey, this time from the right side of the arc, for a three-point Middletown lead.

The teams exchanged blows, and the lead, for the remainder of the fourth. Each side had their chances to pull away, but neither could.

Brandon Wilkerson gave Linganore (6-4, 2-2) a 52-49 led with roughly a minute remaining after sinking two foul shots. From there the Lancers missed five consecutive attempts from the line, but finally sank a free throw when Rob Havenstein hit on the second of two attempts with 1.2 seconds remaining, right after Middletown failed to tie the game on a set play following a timeout. A last-second Knights heave ricocheted harmlessly off the glass.

"It's nice to get out of a tough gym like this while not really executing at the line down the stretch and still get out of here with the win," said Linganore head coach Tom Kraft.

Middletown, down 22-9 in the second quarter, employed a full-court press for much of the third and the entire fourth period. The Knights pestered the Lancers' inbounds and rarely allowed Linganore's ball handlers to cross half court unchecked.

"We were having a lot of trouble with it, because we weren't getting our personnel where they needed to be," Kraft said of the press.

Jeff Havenstein had 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to lead the Lancers. Rob Havenstein added 12 points and 10 boards while David Feuz scored 10 points and dished out three assists. Wilkinson had nine points, six assists and four steals. Linganore was 12 of 20 from the line.

Harris dropped 18 to pace Middletown (6-5, 2-3). Sam Glushakow contributed 12.

"Our whole team fought hard," Harris said. "A couple of shots didn't fall for us, but some nights are like that."