MEXICO, Mo. - Tanner Pezold was in the right spot to save the status of the streak.
The North Callaway junior forward scored on a putback with 20 seconds to play Saturday afternoon, sending the Thunderbirds to their seventh straight victory with a 51-49 win over Paris in the rescheduled Gary Filbert Classic at Mexico High School.
Junior guard Coy Danison's 3-pointer with about a minute to play had given North Callaway a 49-47 edge. The Thunderbirds then came up with a defensive stop but turned the ball over on their ensuing possession, and Paris responded by scoring on a fast-break opportunity to tie the game.
North Callaway (13-10) missed a shot on its trip down the floor, but Pezold was there to gather up the offensive rebound and drop it in the basket for the decisive points.
"Playing on a Saturday afternoon after both (teams) played on the road Friday night, it was a grind-it-out type of game," Thunderbirds head coach Matt Miller said. "We got just enough stops and played just well enough to win.
"We just want to keep winning and keep the momentum going."
North Callaway was on top 12-10 after the first quarter and took a slim 19-18 edge into halftime. The Coyotes outscored the Thunderbirds 14-10 in the third quarter to go in front 32-29, but North Callaway rallied by outscoring Paris 22-17 over the last 8 minutes.
Sophomore guard Khobi Kellerman came off the bench to guide the Thunderbirds with a game-high 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Danison finished with 14 points and freshman forward Tully Thomsen provided 10 points and three steals.
"Khobi's scoring basically saved us," Miller said.
Sophomore guard Dawson Wright collected a team-high five rebounds for North Callaway.
Brett Miller topped the Coyotes (8-15) with 14 points and Adam Forrest contributed 12.
On Friday night, Thomsen produced a game-high 16 points - making 7-of-8 free throws - as North Callaway battled its way to a 48-26 Eastern Missouri Conference triumph at Silex.
The Thunderbirds (4-4 EMO) were only up 5-3 after the first quarter, but outscored the Owls 13-4 in the second quarter and owned an 18-7 lead at halftime. North Callaway edged Silex 9-7 in the third quarter to make it 27-14, then pulled away by outscoring the Owls 21-12 in the fourth quarter.
Thomsen added four steals and three assists, while Danison scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter for the Thunderbirds and also had six rebounds and four steals.
"It was an ugly game, but we played great defense throughout and made shots when we needed it," Miller said. "Silex is the type of team that keeps itself in the game by being physical."
Jake Adams and Charles Turbyeville scored seven points apiece for the Owls (2-15, 1-8).
North Callaway (6-12) won the junior varsity game 40-30. Sophomore forward Mark Hollenberg put up a team-high 11 points and sophomore forward Xavier Sykes contributed nine.
The Thunderbirds host Mark Twain in EMO play at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.