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Brian Polk had just scored eight of his team's final 12 points during a fast and furious fourth quarter, had sunk a series of clutch free throws over chants of "Traitor" from the opposing fans, and had led Sussex Tech High School to a nail-biting 72-69 boys' basketball victory over cross-town rival Sussex Central.

Now he sat slumped over on a bench in the home locker room, exhausted. The sweat-soaked T-shirt he had worn under his game jersey was a testament to how hard he and his teammates worked to keep their Henlopen Conference Northern Division title hopes alive.

"I don't care how we won, as long as we win," said Polk, who led all scorers with 31 points.

The victory on Thursday, Feb. 18, 1999, improved Tech's record to 16-2 in the conference, 19-2 overall and pushed it a full game ahead of Seaford (15-3) in the race for the Henlopen North title.

A win in Tuesday night's regular-season finale at Caesar Rodney would clinch the title for the Ravens. Seaford was idle Thursday and faces Polytech at home Tuesday.

Things got dicey at times for the Ravens against upstart Sussex Central (9-10, 11-11). After taking a 10-point lead late in the third quarter, Tech saw Central fight back and twice take the lead in the final period. The Ravens also withstood a late barrage of 3-pointers from Central's Drew Mills, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Overall, there were four ties and 13 lead changes in the game.

"That's what rivalries are all about," Tech coach Jerry Kobasa said. "I thought Sussex Central played very well, they played with a lot of intensity and a lot of heart. They hit some great shots, give them credit."

Kobasa admitted the pressure mounting as the regular season draws to a close. Tech has had no margin for error the past two weeks and will not win the North title if it loses to CR and Seaford defeats Polytech on Tuesday. Although the teams would have the same conference record, Seaford would win the title based on a season sweep of Tech in head-to-head play.

"It's been very stressful, it's sudden death," Kobasa said. "We've got to keep playing. I said tonight sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Tonight we got a little lucky but it still goes to the left side (of the win column)."

Tech led Thursday's game 63-60 when Mills drained a 3-pointer off the right wing to tie the score with 2:58 remaining.

Tech, however, ran off the next six points as Brandon Palmer put back a missed shot and Polk converted a steal into a layup. Both also sank single free throws to give the Ravens a 69-63 lead.

But Mills brought Central back, sinking another 3-pointer from the same spot as the first and, after a Palmer free throw, hitting from long range again to pull the Knights within 70-69 with 13.6 seconds to play.

"It wasn't really frustrating, it was amazing because of how somebody can come in to our own home court and make all those shots," Polk said of Mills' hot shooting.

Polk was fouled on Tech's next possession and, with Central's fans taunting him loudly, sank both free throws to make it 72-69 with 11.5 seconds left. Polk, a junior, attended Sussex Central his first two years of high school.

Central's George Dutton got off two open 3-point attempts in the closing seconds but both missed the mark.

Polk and Palmer combined to score Tech's last 12 points of the game.

"They were hitting their shots and everything was falling for them, where on our side everything wasn't falling so we had to take everything to the rack," Polk said. "Basically, most of our shots weren't dropping and for them, they had a perfect night. I have to congratulate them on that."

The lost was Central's fourth straight following a seven-game winning streak. The Knights completed the regular season with a .500 record and should receive a state tournament berth.

"It hurt, but it also felt good because it showed that we can play with one of the best teams in the state," Central coach Tim Slade said. "I think our biggest problem is we can come back on you, but we don't know how to take it over the hill. We don't know how to finish it off."

The Knights trailed 52-42 with a minute left in the third quarter but got a 3-pointer from Dutton to trigger a 13-2 run that gave them their first lead since early in the second period. When Tony Cintron and Travis Leonard sank back-to-back 3 -pointers, Central led 55-54.

"We figured there would be one more run, that was coming," Kobasa said. "In this kind of game, the emotions are so high. Most of these kids know each other so well. We're both in Georgetown."v

Polk drove the lane for a score to put Tech back ahead but Cintron responded with a layup to make it 57-56. A pair free throws by Tynell Tingle, who finished with 11 points, and a put-back by Donnell Aiken gave Tech a 60-57 advantage before Central again pulled even on a Mills free throw and a John Gordy baseline jumper.

But Polk began to take over for Tech, draining a 15-footer off a steal and hitting one of two free throws to make it 63-60.

Mills led Central with 16 points while Leonard added 13, Gordy 12 and Cintron 10. The Knights outrebounded Tech 38-29.

After a mostly even first quarter, Central pulled ahead 23-18 early in the second period on a pair of baskets by Leonard. But Tech responded with a an 18-3 run to take a 36-26 lead.

The Ravens hit the boards hard in the quarter, holding an 11-5 advantage, and used their defense to force a number of Central turnovers.

Tech would hold that lead until the final period.