(UPDATED 8:35 p.m.) Play-by-Play Live Blog: Oakland Mills Defeats Central, Advances in Playoffs

6:50 p.m.

And we're live from the very, very hot gym at Oakland Mills High School. The stands are nearly full in anticipation of tonight's second-round playoff game between Oakland Mills and Central High. 

Stay tuned throughout the evening for updates.

7:10 p.m.

James Peters scores the first basket of the game, hitting a 3-pointer to put Oakland Mills ahead 3-0 just 1:11 into the game. It's a rapid-paced, intense game so far with several turnovers.

Peters hits another 3-pointer two minutes in to bring it to 6-0.

7:15 p.m.

Central scores two baskets to bring it to 6-4 with 4:30 remaining in the first quarter. This is intense action: Greg Whittington of Oakland Mills steals a pass but has the ball stripped from him as he goes up for a dunk. Central is getting several chances on offense, getting rebounds and recovering the ball after Oakland Mills blocks it.  But with 3:30 to go it's still 6-4.

7:20 p.m.

Joe Kiely of Oakland Mills steals the ball and brings it the length of the court for a layup and a foul. He misses the free throw, and it's 8-4 Oakland Mills with 2:47 remaining in the first. Oakland Mills scores two more baskets on steals and suddenly it's 12-4 with 2:15 to go.

Central hits two free throws to cut the lead to 6. Central grabs a rebound but Joe Kiely steals the ball again and hits a nice layup. Then a Central player scores on a layup himself. After a free throw it's 14-9 with 1:22 left in the first.

7:22 p.m.

Kiely hits a 3-pointer with 50 seconds to go, and it's 17-9. Central grabs a rebound off its own missed shot and hits a 3-pointer in return. 17-12. That's how the score stays at the end of the quarter.

7:25 p.m.

The first points in the second quarter come off a Davon Allen style. He feeds it to Joe Kiely for the layup and the foul. It's 20-12 with 7:38 left in the quarter. Central High misses a three, grabs the rebounds but has the ball stolen. They're getting plenty of second chances but are rarely converting them – and the Scorpions are doing a good job of picking their pockets.

7:30 p.m.

Central steals a ball themselves, hits a lay-up and cuts it to 20-14. Oakland Mills airballs it, and Central brings it back for a 3-pointer. Now it's 20-17 with 6 minutes left in the second, and this is an interesting, exciting game.

Joe Kiely hits a 3-pointer to raise the lead back to 6, then Central hits a two. 23-19. Central brings it down the court and hits another two, draws another foul, misses a free throw and now it's 23-21 Oakland Mills with 4:47 remaining.

Central steals the ball and ties it 23-23 with 4:14 left. They're playing Greg Whittington very physical and completely neutralizing him on offense.

23-23 with 3:34 left in the second.

7:35

James Peters breaks the tie with a two, putting Oakland Mills up 25-23. With 2:30 to go in the second, this is a game between two very tight, very capable teams, both working to break the other, both trying to get into a groove.

Whittington hasn't been able to get inside, so he tries a 3-pointer. Yes, he's 6-foot-9, but he's also the team leader from beyond the arc. He misses, and then blocks two shots on the defensive end, where he's been valuable so far tonight.

Central steals it, then Oakland Mills steals it right back. Once again it's Joe Kiely with the layup. He draws the foul but misses from the charity stripe, and it's now 27-23 with 1:18 to go.

7:40 p.m.

Central hits a much needed 3-pointer with about a minute to go in the second quarter, cutting it to 27-26. Joe Kiely once more cuts through players, and this time he puts it in his left hand and banks it in. 29-26. Central gets a layup as well. 29-28. That's how it ends at the half.

7:55 p.m.

Kerry Bethea of Oakland Mills scores the first points of the quarter and his first of the game. And then, on a subsequent possession, he draws the foul and hits one of two from the line. It's 32-28 Oakland Mills 35 seconds into the third. Bethea then steals the ball, loses it and Central brings it the length of the court. 32-30.

Overly excited players make sloppy plays. Another turnover for Oakland Mills. Central misses, however. James Peters hits the three and it's 35-30, 6:15 to go in the third.

Central with a quick layup. 35-32. A little bit later, Greg Whittington steals the ball and gets fouled hard as he goes up for the jam. He hits two free throws for his first points of the game. Oakland Mills is up 37-32 with 5:30 remaining in the third.

Whittington steals the ball on the next play and slams it in, bringing Oakland Mills' fans to their feet. He then forces a turnover on his next possession. Could this be Whittington's awakening? 

8 p.m.

James Peters with a nice-looking under-handed left-handed basket. 41-32, and then Central scores a quick two to make it 41-34. Kerry Bethea hits a two and it's 43-34 with four minutes left in the third.

Central misses two shots from the line. On the next possession Whittington gets fouled. He hits both shots, and it's 45-34 with 3:33 left in the third.

8:05 p.m.

Missed shots from both teams, and then Whittington puts up another shot that, while a miss, draws a foul. He hits both from the line and the lead is now 13 points, 47-34, with three minutes to go in this third quarter.

Central, meanwhile, misses one from the line and hits another, bringing it to 47-35. Oakland Mills turns the ball over. Central, on its next possession, misses a 3-pointer. Bethea hits a layup to bring it to 49-35 with 1:40 to go in the quarter. The Scorpions steal the ball on the next possession but turn it back over.

Central gets a much-needed two. It's 49-37. Central then steals the ball again but turns it back over. 49 seconds to go in the third.

8:10 p.m.

Central blocks a shot on the defensive end and gets the ball. They get fouled on the offensive end and hit both shots. 49-39. After two missed Oakland Mills shots, Kiely hits a two. The Scorpions steal the ball, Kiely soon gets the ball back, gets fouled and goes to the free-throw line. He hits one, and Oakland Mills ends the third quarter up 52-39.

8:15 p.m.

Central comes out for the fourth with a missed 3-pointer that would've been crucial for getting some momentum back. And then on their next shot on the next possession is blocked. They have seven and a half minutes to recoup a 13-point deficit.

Another missed three for Central and Whittington gets the rebound, gets fouled and goes back to the line. He misses the first of his one-and-one, though.

Central comes back with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. 52-42 with seven minutes left.

Kiely misses a reverse layup. And another 3-pointer from the top of the key for Central! 52-45 with 6:23 left in the game. The comeback is in full force...

"DE-FENSE!" cheers the sizable Central contingent. Oakland Mills misses a three, gets the rebound and then has an offensive foul called on them. This could be a big moment. Let's see.

Nope. Kiely with another steal and another layup. It's closer than before, though. 54-45 with 5:45 left.

8:20 p.m.

Looks like that last foul while the Scorpions were on offense was a technical foul. Central hits both free throws. 54-47, and they have the ball back as well. But Oakland Mills gets the steal and gets fouled. James Peters with one free throw made and it's 55-47 with 5:30 left.

Another steal for Oakland Mills. Another drawn foul as Joe Kiely drives to the hoop. He hits both and the lead is back in double digits, 57-47. And another steal off the inbounds pass! Oakland Mills is back at the line. Kerry Bethea hits one of two. 58-47. Central runs it down the court and turns it back over with an offensive foul. 

8:25 p.m.

Whittington's at the line with 4:26 left. He hits one to bring it to 59-47. Central misses an ugly three and their follow, and Oakland Mills runs it down the court. Kurtis Coleman gets fouled while going up to the basket. He hits one from the line. 60-47 with 4:11 left.

Peters steals the ball and hits a basket. 62-47. Central misses a shot, Whittington takes it from the top of the key and the big man hits a three. 65-47 now with 3:35 left.

8:30 p.m.

Central gets fouled but can only hit one from the line. Bethea hits a two for Oakland Mills and now it's 67-48 with 3:13 left. Central gets back on the free-throw line, again hits one of two. And again, Bethea comes back and hits a two for Oakland Mills. Now the lead is 20 points – 69-49 with three minutes left.

Oakland Mills hits a free throw. 70-49. Central turns the ball over on the inbounds pass, but Central gets it back and scores. It's 70-51 with 2:50 left and the Falcons will need a major miracle to win.

They're not getting one. Less than two minutes left and, after a Davon Allen basket, it's 74-51 Oakland Mills. 

8:35 p.m.

Two free throws for Central bring it to 74-53. There's less than 90 seconds left to go. The end is a given, and so Oakland Mills is moving the ball slowly up the court, and Central is allowing them to run the clock down.

Half of the Oakland Mills section is standing. Whittington hits a 3-pointer to bring it to 77-53. There are 44 seconds left, and, with the victory in hand, the big man's just been taken out of the game.

Oakland Mills' fans are now chanting "Na-na-na, Goodbye," but Central deserves credit for playing the Scorpions tough for the first half. The game is over, though, and the final score is 77-55, Oakland Mills.