Overtime was kind to the Neshannock High boys basketball team last night.

The Lancers got production at both ends of the floor in the extra session to pull away for a 68-57 WPIAL Section 2-AA home win over Shenango.

Neshannock (2-2 section, 5-5 overall) outscored the Wildcats in overtime, 15-4. Ernie Burkes recorded seven of the Lancers’ points in the extra period.

“I think it’s a huge win for us,” Neshannock coach John Corey said. “Shenango is a very good basketball team.”

The Lancers had the ball in the waning moments of regulation, but they turned it over with five seconds left. Shenango (2-3, 7-5), losers of three straight, called a timeout and had the ball under its own basket. Brett Chieze dribbled the length of the floor and fired a turnaround jumper at the buzzer that was just off, forcing overtime.

“That was a tough shot,” Wildcats coach Bob McQuiston said. “I thought we did a good job of getting it down the floor.

“This is a tough loss. Neshannock is a good team.”

Neshannock scored the first five points of overtime for a 58-53 lead. Shenango was forced to foul in the late stages of overtime and the Lancers knocked down their freebies to secure the victory.

Burkes netted a game-high 27 points with five rebounds and four assists. John Sansone chipped in with 17 markers, six boards and four assists for the winners. Anthony Van Eman and Ty Haswell tossed in 10 points apiece for Neshannock.

Haswell snared six rebounds as well, while John Conglose contributed four steals.

“You can never go wrong when you have four guys in double figures,” Corey said. “Ernie played very well; overall, he had a very good floor game.

“Tonight was that 1-2 punch from Burkes and Sansone that we’ve been waiting for. Those two make defenses work hard.”

Chieze posted 24 points for Shenango and Jordan O’Hara added 14.

“Chieze is a competitor,” McQuiston said. “He gives you everything he has every night.

“I’m proud of the team’s effort. We just have to get back to the drawing board.”