There’s nothing like the incentive of proving someone wrong for an athletic edge. Trotwood’s no match against the City League’s best in boys basketball? Bring it on.

“Everybody said that we couldn’t beat City schools and we just proved it to them,” said Trotwood-Madison senior JaMar Hammonds after a red-hot 92-91 overtime defeat of Dunbar in an instant classic boys high school basketball game on Tuesday night.

“We shocked the world.”

That’s probably a stretch. But there’s no doubting that Trotwood earned a huge portion of newfound respect following the nonleague matchup.

At the very least, the latest showdown of this long-running series was a possible postseason preview. It’s yet another season for loaded area Division II teams and these are clearly among the best.

Dunbar, of course, is the defending D-II state champion. Trotwood never lost its swagger the last couple of seasons. But the Rams were not what they once were. They are now.

Hammonds rocked the Wolverines for a game-high 36 points, including a runner in the lane with five seconds left for the winning bucket. That was fitting; Dunbar had no defensive answer for Hammonds, who played like, well, he had something to prove. Especially after he missed a free throw with 5.6 seconds left in regulation that could have won the game.

Big Ravonn Lovette added 18 points and flashed great versatility around the rim for an offensive lineman. Dezhontae Bennett added 17 points for the Rams. Trotwood (13-2) has won 10 of its last 11 games.

Dunbar overcame a 19-point second-half deficit behind William Green’s 20 points, all but two in the third and fourth quarters.

Dunbar’s A.J. Harris added 19 points after scoring two in the first half. Damarion Geter produced 18 points, including a final bucket that put Dunbar up 91-90 with :19 left.

In their previous game, the Wolverines (13-4) handed defending D-III state champ Summit Country Day its first loss.

The only way this game could be topped would be another game. For that to happen, each would have to go deep into the D-II postseason. Don’t count that out.

“There’s a very good possibility and I hope it’s really late,” beamed Trotwood coach Rocky Rockhold. “Regional finals would be just fine with me.”