SPRING HILL ? Tuesday’s first-round Class 4A sub-state game between Baldwin High and Spring Hill proved March Madness was not restricted to the college game.

Baldwin claimed a 71-70 overtime win in a contest that was sheer lavender lunacy between two purple-clad squads.

“That’s the most amazing game at this level that I’ve seen, coached or participated in,” Baldwin coach Jeff Haas said. “It’s gonna be a game people are gonna talk about.”

The Bulldogs were down 70-69 with 3.6 seconds to go in overtime, and there wasn’t any doubt who was going to get the ball. Senior Andy Hannon caught an inbounds pass near halfcourt and glided to the hoop for a game-winning layup just before time ran out.

“He’s the ultimate player for that situation,” Haas said. “We know we had to give him a touch one way or another.”

Don’t ask Hannon to describe the play.

“My mind was blank the whole time,” Hannon said. “It happened so quick.”

Everything happened quickly in the fourth quarter and in overtime.

Baldwin (9-12) had a 13-point lead with close to six minutes left in the fourth quarter before the Broncos (14-6) got back into it, largely because of senior Travis Larsen.

Larsen, who canned three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, had a team-high 19 points for Spring Hill.

Spring Hill’s Aaron Barnett hit two free throws with 0.2 seconds to tie the game at 61 and send it into overtime. Oddly, Barnett was fouled in the waning seconds of the second quarter, hitting one of two free throws to tie the game at 26 going into halftime.

“We know the chances of burying them were not great,” Haas said. “They know how to handle themselves when they’re down, but I couldn’t be more proud of the character and poise we showed.”

Hannon, who led BHS with 29 points, said his team had played in more close games than Spring Hill.

“We knew they hadn’t been in that situation,” Hannon said.

But it’s doubtful any of the players had been involved in something similar to the craziness from the last minutes of the fourth quarter.

“It was fun,” said Baldwin’s Austin Inzer. “We just had to concentrate.”

Inzer came off the bench to back up Hannon with 19 points, including four three-pointers.

“The lift he gave us was tremendous,” Haas said of Inzer.

Baldwin will play Anderson County on Friday at Louisburg in the second round.

Baldwin 71, Spring Hill 70

Baldwin 8 18 13 22 10 — 71

Spring Hill 14 12 6 29 9 — 70

Baldwin — Andy Hannon 29, Austin Inzer 19, Jeremy Wright 13, Micah Mason 6, Ben Knoll 4.

Spring Hill — Travis Larsen 19, Aaron Barnett 11, Jason Murphy 11, Bryan Bollig 10, Dustin Smith 10, Matt Myer 7, Kevin Phillips 2.