PIQUA — Mickey Anderson and the Piqua boys basketball team were not going to be denied Tuesday night at Garbry Gymnasium.

The Indians snapped a five-game losing streak with a 50-47 win over Troy as Anderson — who came in averaging 5.2 points per game — scored a season high 22 points on nine of 11 shooting from the floor. He made his only 3-point attempt, hit three of five free throws and had six steals.

“Really, I am just at a loss for words,” Anderson said about his career game. “This was my senior year highlight. Nothing is going to top what happened out there tonight.”

While Piqua improved to 3-9 overall and 2-7 in the MVL, Troy dropped to 4-7 overall and 4-5 in the MVL with another close loss.

“We have struggled lately with our offense,” Troy coach Mark Hess said. “We just kind of let them hang around and then they gained confidence.”

Despite trailing 12-2 early, Piqua was able to use an 11-0 run to take a 39-30 lead with 5:50 to go after Jay Hancock got behind the Troy defense on a length of the court inbounds pass.

“We have had some tough losses this year,” Piqua coach Brett Kopp said. “But, there has never been a time when they didn’t come back the next day and give me everything they had in practice.”

A 3-pointer by Hudson Furlong and a basket by Kellen Miller closed the Piqua lead to 41-37 with 1:52 to go.

Evan Kaiser got the Trojans within 42-39, but Anderson scored four points and Hancock added a basket to make it 48-41 with 33 seconds to go.

“Mickey Anderson is just the ultimate competitor,” Kopp said.

Just as it seemed Piqua had a win, Furlong hit two 3-pointers in a five second span to make it 48-47.

“I was getting a little nervous,” Anderson said. “I knew we just had to score or make them foul us.”

Hancock was fouled with eight seconds to go and calmly hit both free throws to make it 50-47.

“He is a freshman,” Kopp said. “He looked a little scared out there in the first quarter and I had a little talk with him. He played well after that.”

Furlong’s off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime looked good all the way, before spinning out.

“We never quit,” Hess said. “But, it was just too late by the time we got going.”

The game started with Aiden Luis hitting a 3-pointer on Troy’s first possession and Brady O’Leary added five points as Troy jumped out to a 12-2 lead.

“We got off to the great start,” Hess said. “But, we just kind of let them hang around. They seemed to gain confidence and the basket started looking really small to us. And I didn’t think the shots we were taking were really good shots either.”

The early deficit didn’t bother Piqua.

“To be honest, we have been doing that a lot at the start of games,” Anderson said.

Troy led 16-7 after one quarter, but Piqua closed to 25-22 at halftime. The Indians caught up in the third quarter and took control with the 11-0 run they ran into the fourth quarter as Anderson scored 21 points in the final three quarters.

“The last three quarters, I thought everybody played well,” Kopp said.

Along with Anderson’s big game, Hancock added 13 points and Tate Kuhlman scored nine points.

Mael DeGavre grabbed five rebounds.

Furlong led Troy with 12 points — all in the second half on four of seven shooting from 3-point range.

Kaiser scored 10 points and Bryce Haught added eight points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Miller had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots and O’Leary scored five points and had three assists.

Aiden Luis had five rebounds and four assists.

Piqua was 18 of 36 from the floor for 50 percent, including two of seven on 3-pointers for 29 percent. The Indians made 12 of 18 free throws for 67 percent.

Troy was 19 of 49 from the floor for 39 percent, including seven of 20 from long range for 35 percent. The Trojans made both of their free throw attempts.

Troy won the battle of the boards 27-17 and had 16 turnovers to Piqua’s 15.

Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]