Winona knows how to win the close ones, and that made all the difference in double-overtime.

The Winhawks overcame Austin's fourth-quarter lead that reached as high as nine points and the Packer boys' basketball team tumbled to 1-4 in league play in a 63-62 double-overtime thriller Friday night at Ove Berven Gym.

Winona is 4-1 in games decided by five points or less, proving its mettle with time winding down night after night.

"All of our games have been pretty close, so we're used to it," said Winona's Jason Pehler, who scored 10 of his team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter.

"I guess we know how to play those close games and they don't, but they'll learn though," Pehler said. "Defensively we really stepped it up just playing as a team."

The Winhawks (4-3, 2-3) scored nine straight in just over three minutes to erase Austin's nine-point lead early in the fourth, and turnovers in the second extra period prevent the Packers from picking up the conference win.

"I think we had a chance at the end of each and every period," said Austin's Jon Bain, who led the Packers with his career-high 25 points. "We just didn't hang onto the ball.

"We were right in there. I think we definitely played hard enough to win."

Bain sat at the scorer's table waiting to check in with Winona making a 7-0 run that eventually eliminated the nine-point Packer advantage

Austin committed 16 turnovers, including nine in the fourth quarter and two overtimes, to seal its own fate.

Winona guard David Dreas picked Packer point guard Joey Kroc's pocket with four seconds left and Austin with a chance to shoot for the win. Jon Lica went to the line for Winona with a one-point lead and eight seconds remaining but missed the front-end of a one-and-one. Tucker Schieck was pressured for the rebound and Kroc took it up the court before Dreas came from behind, just like Winona, to steal the win.

"Right now that's our Achilles heel," said AHS coach Kris Fadness. "We turn it over too dang much, and it's always the same reason -- we dribble too much."

Austin attempted six fewer shots than Winona in the final quarter because of four turnovers.

"A lot of time in the fourth quarter we didn't even get into the half-court," Bain said.

"Whenever we can run our half-court offense I think we're pretty darn good," Fadness stated. "We had some great stops on defense, but you simply have to score to win games.

"We just didn't take advantage of our opportunities."

Pehler had three steals for the Winhawks and was 5-7 shooting in the fourth quarter alone.

"I'm a leader on the team and I had to take over and score I guess," Pehler said. "My teammates helped out and made some good screens."

Pehler hit 11-18 field-goal attempts and led all players with 12 rebounds, but it was an assist by the 6-foot guard that got the Winhawks going in the second overtime. He drove into the lane and dished to wide open 6-5 center Andy Bastian for a 63-62 lead on the uncontested lay-in.

"I was looking for the shot and his guy stepped up and I dished it off," Pehler said.

The Packers were unable to get into its half-court offensive set because of a turnover near the top of the key and Winona kept its 63-62 lead through the final 1:40 of the game.

"Anytime we were patient on offense we got what we wanted," Fadness said. "But a lot of times we'd dribble ourselves into bad situations.

"You're not going to win close games if you can't handle the ball."

AHS junior John Duren missed a long-range jumper with 45 seconds left and a front-end free-throw with 12 seconds remaining, but Rizzi tracked down the rebound in the corner to give Austin a short-lived second chance. Winona's Jon Lica stole the ball and was fouled while protecting a one-point lead.

He also missed his first free-throw, but Dreas sealed the lead by stealing the ball from Kroc with time running out. Dreas had the chance to sink Austin twice with three-pointers at the buzzer, but his desperation heaves to end regulation and the first overtime fell short.

Austin, now 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the Big Nine, go to Rochester Century Tuesday night before hosting rival Albert Lea Friday at Ove Berven Gym.

Boxscore:

WINONA (63) -- Ryan Block 0-2 0-0 0, Jon Lica 5-14 1-2 14, David Dreas 5-12 1-2 13, Jason Pehler 11-18 1-3 25, Andy Bastian 4-5 1-3 9, Eric Kuhn 0-1 0-0 0, Matt Pientok 0-1 0-0 0, Mitch Miller 1-1 0-0 2, Nick Spence 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 4-10.

AUSTIN (62) -- Mike Tray 0-1 0-0 0, Kyle Rizzi 5-10 1-2 11, Joey Kroc 1-2 0-0 2, Mark Cavanaugh 0-2 0-0 0, Tucker Schieck 2-5 0-2 4, Jon Bain 10-16 5-8 25, John Duren 6-21 0-1 13, Jon Barnett 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan VanProosdy 3-4 0-0 7. Totals 27-61 6-13.

Winona131581845--63

Austin1416131144--62

Three-pointers--Winona 7-22 (Lica 3-6, Pehler 2-5, Dreas 2-7, Kuhn 0-1, Pientok 0-1, Block 0-2); Austin 2-9 (VanProosdy 1-1, Duren 1-7, Cavanaugh 0-1). Rebounds--Winona 32 (Pehler 12, Block 6); Austin 35 (Bain 8, Duren 6). Team fouls--Winona 10, Austin 14. Fouled out--none.