Saleem Overton dove after a loose ball and briefly grabbed possession before whipping a pass Kason Ulmer’s way, helping the center earn two free throws.

A minute earlier, Quincy Williams made a steal, sped up the court and found Overton for a layup. And in the same time frame, Josh Sweeting drained a 3-pointer and forced a turnover.

None of those players started Tuesday at the Magic Dome. But Williamsport has plenty of weapons in reserve and all three emphatically proved it during a game-changing second quarter burst. The Millionaires turned a one-point deficit into a 17-point halftime lead there, fought off a Central Mountain second-half rally and defeated the Wildcats, 65-52.

Overton, Williams and Sweeting combined for 11 points, six assists, nine rebounds and four steals during the first half and Williamsport (12-9) won its fifth straight game while maintaining its hold on District 2-4 Class AAAAAA’s top seed.

“We put in all the minutes that we can,” Overton said after scoring 12 points, grabbing eight rebounds and making three steals. “Practice has been going better and all the minutes I play, I try and embrace those and do whatever I can for the team.”

“We all contribute really well to the team. It helps give the starters a break, so it gives them more energy for when they go back in,” Williams said after grabbing five rebounds, dealing three assists and adding two steals. “I try and provide as much energy as I can. When I bring that to the table when it’s most needed at the end of the quarter, then it helps bring the team up.”

Williamsport’s quality depth has things looking up these days with the Millionaires a win from securing that top seed and a district quarterfinal bye. Led by the reserves, Williamsport outscored Central Mountain, 24-9 in the second quarter and that surge loomed large throughout the second half, especially when the determined Wildcats closed within seven entering the fourth quarter.

The Millionaires essentially have eight starters with all three underclassmen making the most of their minutes. Overton has looked like a star in the making; Williams does a lot of the dirty work required to produce wins and Sweeting has started showing an offensive touch to complement his tenacious defense.

Put it all together and Williamsport is a much more balanced team than earlier this season. Four players reached double figures Tuesday with Ethan Chilson scoring 13, Tevin Williams 11 and Kason Ulmer 10, while grabbing eight rebounds. Naazir Lowe totaled five assists and five rebounds, and freshman Mekhi Gaston set an early tone, blocking four shots in the first four minutes, while adding six boards.

Gaston was the freshman generating the most interest early in the year, but Overton has made it a two-headed rookie monster. Like older brother 2012-13 Williamsport all-stater Jahad Thomas, Overton possesses a motor which runs high all the time. He has provided defensive energy all season but now he has settled in offensively, able to play either guard position and giving defenses fits as a slasher, shooter and distributor.

Overton was all three against Central Mountain. He produced his third straight double-digit scoring game, dealt three assists and blocked a shot. He and Ethan Chilson (6 rebounds) also sealed victory late, draining four straight free throws.

“I feel like at the start of the season I was in my head, thinking that everybody is older than me. Now, nobody cares about age, so I just have to go out there and get it,” Overton said. “I’ve learned a lot. Naz and Tevin are older players and have given me a lot of info, and so does Coach T. It’s helped me a lot throughout the season.”

“Saleem is just growing up right before us. He’s very physical and seeks contact and that’s not normal for a freshman we consider undersized to be that physical and aggressive around the basket,” Williamsport coach Allen Taylor said. “He’s very comfortable in that lane. He’s started to slow the game down and he’s able to see things.”

Quincy Williams opened the season as a starter after coming off the bench as a sophomore a year ago. He has felt more comfortable, however, providing a spark as a sixth or seventh man. He helped fan the flames in the second quarter, pulling down four of his five rebounds and dealing two assists.

Williams found Sweeting for a 3-pointer early in the second quarter and the Millionaires soon were off and running. They closed the half on a 14-2 flurry and built a 17-point halftime advantage with the reserves scoring nine points during that time.

“Coming off the bench, I bring more energy. I make a bigger statement coming off the bench than I do starting,” Williams said. “Today, we were getting steals, pushing the ball up, getting assists and finding open teammates. It all came together.”

Central Mountain (7-15) did all it could to make it come apart during the second half. Williamsport pushed its lead to 19 midway through the third quarter, but the Wildcats stormed back and scored the final 12 points, cutting it to 46-39. The Millionaires scored eight points in a one-minute burst early in the fourth and went up 15, but Central Mountain kept coming back whenever it seemed like it may stay down for the count.

Darius Shade scored 18 points and drained five 3-pointers, while Noah Wells totaled 14 points and six rebounds. Calen Hunter was tough inside and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, in addition to scoring nine points. Williamsport held off Central Mountain, but the way the Wildcats beat the defense via dribble-penetration raised some red flags entering Williamsport’s final regular season game Saturday at 3A contender Executive Education.

This game played out a lot like the Loyalsock-Williamsport one did three days earlier. The Millionaires built a big advantage but could never land a knockout blow. There are times Williamsport looks tremendous; times it looks out of sorts and often it can be in the same quarter or half.

“Overall, we did some nice things, but we didn’t play consistently well as a team. There is something positive you can say about everyone who went out there and performed tonight but as far as consistency, that’s what we’re struggling with,” Taylor said. “We’re not consistently doing the things that we need to do in order to go out and compete for a district championship.”

Of course, better to learn and still win. The Millionaires still are trying to put all the pieces together in order to make a playoff run, but the exciting part is they know they have them. It’s just a matter of putting the puzzle together.

The season has featured its share of ups and downs, starting last summer when dynamic point guard Zion Hughes tore his ACL. Through it all, the Millionaires have forged ahead and now control their own destiny in terms of earning a top district playoff seed. What they hope now is that this season continues trending upward.

“It’s very exciting because these last couple years, we were nowhere near the No. 1 seed,” Quincy Williams said. “It’s a good turnaround for the program and the fans who come out and support us.”

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN (52)

Darius Shade 6 1-3 18, Noah Wells 4 6-8 14, Blake Walker 2 0-2 5, Isah Dorman 0 0-0 0, Calen Hunter 3 3-7 9, Carson Couturiaux 2 0-0 4, Dane Hanna 0 0-0 0, Travis Diaz 0 0-0 0, Collin Confer 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 10-19 52.

WILLIAMSPORT (65)

Tevin Williams 5 1-2 11, Kason Ulmer 4 2-4 10, Mekhi Gaston 3 1-2 7, Naazir Lowe 3 0-2 6, Ethan Chilson 5 2-2 13, Saleem Overton 4 3-6 12, Quincy Williams 0 1-2 1, Josh Sweeting 2 0-2 5. Totals 26 10-22 65.

Central Mountain 9 9 21 13–52

Williamsport 11 24 11 19–65

3-pointers: Central Mountain 6 (Shade 5, Walker); Williamsport 3 (Chilson, Overton, Sweeting).

Records: Williamsport 12-9. Central Mountain 7-15.