The Marlboro boys’ basketball team was a minute away from reaching the semifinals of the Duane Davis Christmas Tournament.

After leading for about 31 out of 32 minutes in the Iron Dukes’ opening round game, the Ketcham Indians pulled a rabbit out of a hat by going on an 11-0 run to finish the Dec. 27 game, outlasting the Iron Dukes, 57-54, handing the Dukes the first of their three straight losses at last week’s tournament at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie.

The Iron Dukes also suffered a 62-28 loss to John Jay-East Fishkill on Wednesday, and were beaten by the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidents, 52-31, on Thursday to finish the tournament.

The Dukes’ best game of the tournament was its first, as the Dukes opened an early lead, jumping ahead, 18-9 on the Ketcham Indians. The Indians cut the Iron Dukes’ lead to two points at halftime.

Marlboro built its lead back to eight points with slightly more than three minutes remaining in the game, but with 53.7 seconds left in the game, Ketcham’s Owen Paino, who scored a game-high 24 points, hit a layup to give the Indians their first lead of the game.

It was the only lead they would need.

Travis Delaney added 12 points for the Indians.

John Ryder led the Iron Dukes with 16 points and Prince Owens added 13.

That sudden loss sent the Iron Dukes to play two games against two of the other Day 1 losers, John Jay-East Fishkill and FDR.

The Iron Dukes were unable to get anything going against John Jay, as they fell behind by 21 points at the half.

Jaice Martabano scored a game-high 20 points and Gavyn Pacheco added 15 points.

Miles Brooks led the Iron Dukes with 15 points.

The Iron Dukes trailed the Presidents for most of Thursday’s game, falling behind by seven points after the first quarter, before cutting FDR’s lead to four points, 22-18, at halftime. However, the Presidents were able to push the lead back to eight points with about seven minutes to go.

However, Marlboro only scored four more points, as the Presidents opened up a 21-point lead at the end of the game.