Courtesy Photo Hillman’s Trenton Taratuta (22) puts up a shot while being defended by Frankfort’s Xander Sauer during a Division 4 quarterfinal on Tuesday in Gaylord. Frankfort defeated the Tigers 59-57.

GAYLORD — A late-game scoring run brought an end to the Hillman boys basketball team’s season on Tuesday.

Emmerson Farmer scored 20 points and Frankfort used a 20-9 run to slip by the Tigers for a 59-57 win in a Division 4 quarterfinal in Gaylord.

Hillman (22-5) led 48-39 after three quarters and led by nine with less than seven minutes left. But in a game that was expected to be close, the Panthers kept pushing, kept scoring, and eventually took the lead for good with 58 seconds left.

Bryce Pleaha converted an and-one with 58 seconds left to give Frankfort a 56-54 lead. Free throws pushed the lead to 58-54 before Hillman junior Trenton Taratuta drilled a three-pointer to make it 58-57 with nine seconds remaining.

Farmer went to the line and missed two shots and Carter Kerby was fouled with three seconds left, hitting one shot to give the Panthers just enough cushion for a win.

Braylon Firman led Hillman with 18 points, Taratuta had 16 and Caleb Hiveley had 15..

It was a disappointing end for the Tigers, who were making their fourth quarterfinal appearance since 2015 and have yet to advance to the state semifinals.

Frankfort advances to a Division 4 semifinal on Thursday at Breslin Center in East Lansing where it will play Wyoming Tri-unity in the second of two semifinal matchups.

The winner will play Munising or Marine City Cardinal in Saturday’s championship game.

Leading 30-25 at halftime, Hillman pushed the tempo in the third quarter to push its lead to as many as 11. After Frankfort cut the lead to 30-29 early in the period, the Tigers outscored the Panthers 18-10 the rest of the way.

Hillman drilled four triples — three of which came from Firman — and muscled its way inside for crucial baskets to keep Frankfort on its toes.

Hillman used a few different scoring runs to pull away from the Panthers during the second quarter.

With a little less than five minutes left, Firman checked back into the game and scored on a putback to give Hillman a 17-14 lead. Taratuta followed with a pair of buckets to put the Tigers ahead 21-14 with 3:58 left in the half.

Frankfort kept chipping away at the lead and cut it to two, 24-22, after a three-pointer from Farmer.

But Hillman found a scoring spark again late, pulling out to a 30-22 lead after a pair of free throws from Hiveley and buckets from both Hiveley and Taratuta.

Both teams struggled to find a rhythm early and Frankfort led 9-8 after one quarter, even after Brody Appelgren hit a buzzer-beater for Hillman.

Hillman kept pace with Frankfort early in the fourth quarter, getting two key free throw makes from Brenden Rouleau to keep its lead at nine. But as shots started falling — an inside bucket from Stevenson, a three-pointer from Farmer, another basket — momentum started to swing Frankfort’s way.

Peasha eventually tied the game at 50 with just over four minutes left. Firman answered with a floater to give Hillman the lead and Farmer answered with a three-pointer to put Frankfort ahead again.

Taratuta scored on a floater with 1:10 left, giving Hillman a 54-53 lead; its last of the night.

The loss brings an end to a successful Hillman season — one in which the Tigers won both district and regional championships as well as a North Star League Little Dipper division title.

“I’m proud of the entire team and thankful for all the community support,” Hillman coach Eric Muszynski said.