R.C. Hatch was ready to coast at halftime of a 63-60 win over Linden on Thursday.

Up 40-28, the Bobcats were in control, and playing in front of their home crowd, a win seemed all but certain.

But that’s when the Patriots’ shooting touch heated up, and the Bobcats grew colder than the dropping temperature outside.

“I always tell them the game is not over at halftime,” said R.C. Hatch coach John Abraham. “My girls relaxed.”

Linden dominated the third quarter, outscoring R.C. Hatch 15-5 to cut the deficit to 45-40 as the teams went into the final period.

A Kaleecia Rogers 3-pointer knotted the game at 48 with 6:30 remaining, and sent fans from both sides into a frenzy.

Aralia Boddie answered with a 3-pointer of her own to put the Bobcats back out front at 51-48. Tierrica Craig answered with another trey to tie the game at 51.

But Boddie continued shooting, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to put R.C. Hatch up for good at 57-51.

Boddie led the Bobcats with 24 points, and Ashley Wilkins added 21.

Megan Hinton topped the Patriots with 18 points. Keleecia Rogers contributed 16, and Tierrica Craig finished with 12.