MOUNDSVILLE — Despite letting a nine-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter, the John Marshall Monarchs found a way to win Thursday night, 55-53 over visiting Oak Glen.

“I’m gonna tell them in the locker room that you have to find a way to win,” JM coach Chad Clutter said after the game. “We let them hang around and we had too many unforced turnovers. Oak Glen played their hearts out, they brought their ‘A’ game (Thursday).”

After trailing 39-30 in the third quarter, Oak Glen used an eight-point run to tie the game at 45 midway through the fourth.

“They were playing hard and I’m real proud of them,” said OG coach Jerry Everly. “They haven’t (given up). I know our record doesn’t reflect it, but we’ve played some really tough teams and we’ve been able to battle with them and compete.”

After the Golden Bears tied the game, Braden Sobutka scored to put JM back on top and Roman Gray, Brennan Sobutka and Ty Rogers were able to convert 6 of 7 free throw attempts down the stretch to secure the win for the Monarchs, despite a couple of last-minute 3-pointers by OG’s Preston Cole and Jontae Howard.

“There have been several games this year we’ve lost by 5, 6, 7 points where we didn’t finish,” Clutter said. “(Thursday) we didn’t do that, we knocked down a few free throws at the end, enough to give us that two-possession lead.”

This was the first game in a while that the Golden Bears had their full complement of starters. Everly said as many as four starters had missed games recently for various reasons. One of those players was Howard, who posted a double-double to lead OG with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

“He’s been on concussion protocol, out for two weeks and he played his ass off,” Everly said. “He’s a really tough competitor and did a great job.”

Jared Hissam was second for OG with 15 points and a pair of 3-pointers while Chaise Clark finished with 10.

For JM, it was the Sobutka brothers who powered the Monarchs to victory. Both of the first two quarters began with Braden and Brennan hitting back-to-back 3-pointers that put the hosts on top early.

“We were shooting well early and got a nice lead,” Clutter said. “But we were just a little flat on our defense.”

Brennan Sobutka led JM with 19 points and Braden was second on the team with 13. Gray finished third with 11. All three sank two triples in the contest.

It was also the final home game for John Marshall’s lone senior, Grant Neiswonger.

“Grant has been great, he’s been a great leader,” Clutter said. “He came in in incredible shape off of football, I think he’s lost like 40 pounds. He has just killed the boards all year long for us and we’re gonna miss him.”

It was both teams’ final regular-season game before the playoffs begin next week and neither squad has an easy assignment.

Oak Glen will travel to Wheeling Central Wednesday while John Marshall will play at Wheeling Park on Tuesday.

“Hopefully we can (find a way to win) one more time at Park,” Clutter said. “We’ve got three practices before then to figure it out.”

John Marshall 55, Oak Glen 53

OAK GLEN — Bridges 1 0-0 2; Clark 2 6-6 10; Cole 2 0-0 6; Hissam 6 1-1 15; Howard 9 1-2 20; Arner 0 0-0 0; Dennis 0 0-0 0.

JOHN MARSHALL — Hartman 1 0-0 2; Bra. Sobutka 4 3-6 13; Bre. Sobutka 7 3-4 19; Gray 3 3-5 11; Neiswonger 1 2-4 4; Fitzpatrick 0 0-0 0; Rogers 1 2-2 4; Stauffer 1 0-0 2.

3 Pt. Goals — Oak Glen 5 (Cole 2, Hissam 2, Howard 1). John Marshall 6 (Bra. Sobutka 2, Bre. Sobutka 2, Gray 2).