The credit has to go somewhere for Southern Nash’s improbable run to the Big East Conference Boys’ Basketball Tournament final, but it is difficult to pinpoint one player or one moment.

The Firebirds, who overcame a slow start to the season only to a surge during the second go-round of Big East play, and most recently, deal with the season-ending injury to arguably their best player, are now one win away from a storybook league title.

Third-seeded Southern Nash erased a 15-point halftime deficit Wednesday night to shock No. 2 Nash Central, 60-55, in overtime to earn a berth in the league’s tournament title game at 7:30 p.m. Friday against No. 1 seed Rocky Mount High.

The Firebirds defeated the Bulldogs for the second time in less than a week, and this victory likely will go down as a favorite among the Southern Nash faithful.

“This is probably one of my best wins in high school,” Firebirds guard Desmond Jackson said. “You couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Southern Nash seemed as good as eliminated after a first half in which it scored 12 points.

Its defense was out of whack. One of its top scorers, Josh Sessoms was held scoreless.

At least they had secured a spot in the state playoffs next week, right?

This Southern Nash squad isn’t thinking that way. They remembered how far they have come, and they remembered teammate Marcus Hicks, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Monday’s semifinal against Northern Nash.

In what was a game-changing third quarter, the Firebirds put together a flurry of defensive activity led by Jackson and fellow guard Tevin Boykin.

Deflected passes – Nash Central committed 20 turnovers in the second half – led to confidence, which led to baskets on the offensive end, and in a matter of eight minutes, the Firebirds trimmed their deficit to three points.

Even when play evened out during a see-saw fourth quarter, the Firebirds had a confidence. Sessoms, who finished with a team-high 13 points, smiled on positive and negative plays.

Jonte Hunter, one of many Firebirds heroes on the night, put his team up for good on a jumper with 1:58 to play in overtime (56-55), and Southern Nash held Nash Central scoreless the rest of the way.

“I was proud of their effort because it would have been easy to roll over,” Firebirds coach Robbie Kennedy said outside of an joyful Southern Nash locker room. “We had a lot of reasons not to play. I’m just proud of them. The effort was unbelievable.”

Nash Central (14-7) will await the NCHSAA 3-A state playoffs after a disappointing past week. The Bulldogs, who were led in scoring by Jalen Hendricks (14 points), have lost two straight games.

“Our guys need to take on responsibility,” Bulldogs coach Renny Taylor said. “We just came up with ways of turning the ball over. At some point, guys have to say, ‘The ball is a precious thing. I’m not going to turn it over.’”

Southern Nash enters Friday’s final as the hot team.

The Firebirds (10-11) dropped their two regular-season meetings to the Gryphons, but theirmotivation is with each other, and without a doubt, their injured teammate.

“We all wanted to do this for Marcus, because he’s our best player,” said an exhausted Boykin hunched over with his hands on his knees. “We knew how much he wanted to play. I think we can be a scary team in the state (playoffs).”