KINGSFORD — Westwood erased a five-point deficit in overtime and tripped Kingsford 68-65 in non-conference boys basketball Friday.

The Flivvers (0-2), who missed 18 free throws in the second half and overtime, held a 64-59 lead with 1:39 left in overtime after six straight points from Chris Carollo.

Carollo scored a game-high 23 points.

“Free throws killed us,” said Coach Dan Olkkonen, his Flivvers 17 of 38 in the game. “They made them and we didn’t.”

After a Matthew Paavo basket tied the game at 65 with 34 seconds left in overtime, Westwood’s Taylor Dellangelo converted two free throws and Mason Mariuzza made one.

The Flivvers owned a 47-42 lead after three quarters.

“We had the lead most of the game,” said Olkkonen, noting the Patriots tied the game early in the fourth period.

Five straight Carollo points produced a 56-54 Flivver lead with eight seconds left. Patriots’ Zachary Carlson converted two free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

“It’s the second game for a young team,” Olkkonen said. “We prepared well this week and it showed. The effort was great. We battled throughout the whole game.

“We going to get better as the season goes along.”

Sophomore Mike Meneguzzo added 16 points for the Flivvers and freshman Nick Nora had 10. Dellangelo’s 16 points led the Patriots.

Kingsford’s junior varsity, behind Danny Weber’s 14 points and Dennis Neuens’ 10, spilled Westwood 60-28. The Flivver freshmen, with Ben Trevillian scoring 13 points, downed Niagara’s junior varsity 65-22.

The Flivvers host West Iron on Jan. 2 and travel to Houghton on Jan. 6.

Westwood 17 14 11 14 12 — 68

Kingsford 20 13 14 9 9 — 65

WESTWOOD: Dellangelo 16, Alderton 12, Paavo 2, Beckman 6, Mariuzza 8, Boase 6, Kangas 2, Carlson 16. FT: 19-29. F: 28. Fouled out: Alderton, Anderson, Carlson. 3-point FG: Boase 2, Carlson 1

KINGSFORD: Meneguzzo 16, Nora 10, Kopp 4, Bracket 7, Poupore 2, Carollo 23, Bilgreen 3. FT: 17-38. F: 28. Fouled out: Carollo. 3-point FG: Meneguzzo 2, Nora 2, Carollo 2.