Staff photo / Preston Byers. Harding guard Davion Herron attempts to dribble past a SPIRE Academy defender during the first half of the Raiders’ win Monday in Warren.

WARREN — The Warren G. Harding boys basketball team finished their regular season with a victory Monday, defeating SPIRE Academy 60-32 behind a big second-half effort.

For the first nearly 20 minutes, the Raiders could not create much space between themselves and SPIRE. However, a 14-3 run to end the third quarter created considerable distance, which would only grow larger in the fourth quarter.

“Huge second half. I thought our effort and our energy in that second half was amazing — as good as it’s been all year,” Harding coach Keelyn Franklin said.

SPIRE, Harding’s third choice for a senior night opponent after scheduled games vs. Farrell and St. Thomas Aquinas fell through, not only hung tough with the Raiders, but led for most of the first quarter until Harding, which started all five of its seniors, closed the period on an 11-3 run.

Much of the same continued in the second, where Harding grew its lead to 10 before a few baskets in the final two minutes made it a 24-18 game going into halftime.

Harding surrendered the first two field goals of the third quarter, which cut its advantage to just two points, but that would prove to be the turning point in Monday’s contest.

After SPIRE pulled within a basket, the Raiders finished the third quarter on a 14-3 run to take a 13-point lead, its largest of the game to that point, into the final period.

Harding maintained its momentum in the fourth; the Raiders opened the quarter on a 7-1 run and finished the game with a 10-2 run, with the lead reaching as many as 30 points.

Star forward Chaz Coleman finished the night with a game-high 18 points, which included a few crowd-energizing dunks. Khi Blutcher also added 10 points off of the Raiders’ bench.

The win is a welcome rebound for Harding, which dropped its final league game of the year at Fitch last week.

Franklin stressed the importance of ending the season on a high note and establishing some momentum before the postseason, which, for the Raiders, begins Saturday.

Harding will play either North Olmstead or Hudson on Saturday at Elyria Catholic. The second-seeded Raiders have a bye into the Division II, Northeast 1 district championship game since their district has just three teams.

Franklin said he would like to see his team play Saturday like it did in the final 15 or so minutes Monday vs. SPIRE.

“I think we have to bottle up that energy and effort that we had that last quarter and a half, regardless of what defense we’re playing or offense we’re running,” Franklin said. “If we can do everything with a purpose and with that mindset, I think we’ll be fine.”