The Pleasantville boys basketball team found a way to put away rival Martensdale-St. Mary’s for the third time this season; and fans were treated to a near dead-even contest, as the Trojans pulled out a late 61-56 victory in Thursday night’s Class 1A District Quarterfinal game in Pleasantville.

The opening two quarters ended at 10-10 and 26-26, and courtesy of a six-point run by the Trojans in the final minute of the third quarter, the game was again tied at 48-48 going into the final stanza. Neither team seemed able to seize control of the game, before a Hunter Van Haalen three-pointer with under a minute left to go put Pleasantville up by four points and helped them hang on for the five-point win.

Van Haalen put in another big night for the orange-and-black, scoring a team-high 29 points and hitting all seven of his free-throw attempts. Collin Thomas backed-up the effort with 14 points of his own. The Trojans are now 19-3 overall. They’ll host Grandview Park Baptist on Tuesday night in the Class 1A District Semifinals.