The Goshen Eagles exploded in the third quarter on their way to downing the Luverne Tigers on senior night 52-42, capping the regular season with a home win over a rival.

Eagle guards Dakarai Pelton and RaQuan Martin combined for 33 points in a game Goshen trailed 13-5 following one quarter of play.

Luverne jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game and remained in control for the remainder of the opening period.

The Tigers moved slowly and deliberately on offense while mixing up their halfcourt sets to find open shots at each level of the floor.

Goshen’s offense finally appeared in the second quarter in the form of Martin, who scored the Eagles first nine points of the quarter. Pelton finished the first half with a bucket to cut the Tiger lead to 21-16 at the break.

Luverne stayed ahead during the second by playing its own one-man game. Keishaun Hamilton scored all eight of the Tigers’ points in the quarter. He hit three shots from beyond the arc in the first half, two coming in the second quarter.

The Eagles came into the second half a different ball team. Goshen forced the ball inside and pounded Luverne’s bigs for the entire third quarter.

Goshen took its first lead of the game on a Dawson bucket inside the paint and retook the lead after a Tiger basket with another inside score by Dawson. Goshen would not give up that lead for the rest of the game.

“I just told them (at halftime) to play their game and capture their moment,” Goshen head coach Daniell Powell said after the game. “Caleb Dawson said ‘hey man, give me the ball’ so we said we were going to give him the ball.”

Dawson backed up his demand, scoring all seven of his points in the second half.

The explosive third quarter ended with a bang as Martin drilled a long three at the buzzer to put a stamp on a 20-6 quarter.

Pelton helped keep the Eagles in front despite Luverne’s full court pressure in the fourth quarter. The guard repeatedly found a way to the free throw line and scored eight points in the final period.

Luverne had put together an 8-0 run to cut Goshen’s lead to 46-42 but the Eagles scored the last six points of the game.

Pelton scored 18 points to lead both teams while Martin added 15. Hamilton led Luverne with 16 points, 12 coming from long range.

The win comes one night after having a 10-game win streak snapped by an 84-36 loss at Brantley.

“This is one of the biggest wins of the season right here,” Powell said. “We needed this, especially after last night at Brantley. It was a big morale boost and we saw our team come together tonight.”