Although it doesn't count in the record books, the Sweetwater Wildcats got their season off to a dramatic start on Tuesday, topping Sequatchie County 71-63 in overtime.
The game was played at Walker Valley as part of the preseason Hall of Fame games.

The Cats survived a back-and-forth game thanks in large part to Corey Billingsley.
The junior guard scored 34 points, including nine in overtime, to help Sweetwater come back several times in the game.

Joey Raby also had a big game, scoring 16 points and hauling in eight rebounds for the Cats.
Sweetwater took a 4-0 lead with a free throw from Shane Cox and a 3-pointer by Billingsley, but the Indians heated up from behind the arc and outscored the Wildcats 14-7 over the final five minute of the first quarter to take a 14-11 lead after one.

Sequatchie increased their lead to five points before the Cats closed out the second quarter on a 6-1 run over the final 3:10 to tie the game at 23-23 going into halftime.
Cold shooting by the Wildcats and another flurry of 3-pointers by the Indians helped give Sequatchie a nine-point lead - its largest of the game - before the Wildcats got back on track with seven straight points late in the third quarter.

Still, the Indians led after three quarters 42-36.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the final quarter, quickly erasing the six-point deficit with a 14-4 run in the opening 3:32 of the fourth quarter to take a 50-46 lead.
But the Indians found their shooting touch once more and answered that run with three-straight 3-pointers to take the lead back.

However, Raby and Billingsley carried the team through the final 2:13, combining for eight points, including a basket by Billingsley with six seconds left to force overtime.
Sweetwater trailed for only 13 seconds in the extra period as Sweetwater scored the final nine points in overtime to take the win.

Gavyn Davis and Jimiese McDermott each scored seven points for Sweetwater while Seth Woodby added three. Cox and Kurt Woodby scored two points.
Sweetwater will play Chattanooga Christian today at 5:30 p.m. at Walker Valley.