The Nansemond River High School boys’ basketball team came from 15 points down at the half on Tuesday to beat visiting Smithfield High School 49-47 on a Torrence Williams three-pointer with six seconds left in the game.

“This was one of our programs’ best comebacks ever, top three in my 12 years here,” Warriors coach Ed Young said. “We beat a very good team who beat us by 28 last year at their place, and they will go deep in their playoffs this year. Very happy for our kids.”

Nansemond River was down 18-5 after a first quarter in which it went 2-for-12 from the floor, while the Packers went 8-for-10. The Warriors got down by as many as 19 points in the second quarter before registering two buckets to make the score 35-20 at halftime.

In the third period, Nansemond River outscored Smithfield 12-2, the Packers’ only points coming off a pair of free throws at the 3:56 mark.

The Warriors entered the fourth quarter trailing only 37-32, and then when they switched things up on defense, it caught Smithfield off guard.

Nansemond River senior guard Josh Covington scored 19 of his game-high 20 points in the final period.

He gave the Warriors their first lead, 42-40, with 3:20 to go in the game. The Packers went back up 44-43 at the 2:02 mark, but then Covington got a steal and was fouled on the ensuing lay-in, converting a three-point play to make it 46-44.

Smithfield junior point guard Ryan Jones, who entered the game as his team’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points per game, hit a three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining to put the Packers up 47-46.

Nansemond River quickly inbounded to sophomore point guard Josh Hale, who pushed the ball up the floor to Covington. He drove to the basket, then stopped and passed the ball out to senior guard Torrence Williams for an all-net three-pointer with six seconds on the clock.

Jones attempted a 25-footer in response, but it fell short at the buzzer, and the Warriors and their fans celebrated a come-from-behind victory over the now 10-2 Packers, who are ranked No. 6 in the state in Group 4A by Virginia Preps. Nansemond River pulled above .500 with the win, improving to 7-6.

Young was in rare form after the game — nearly speechless.

“The kids did a great job of doing what we asked of them in the second half,” he said.

The Warriors made shots after going 7-for-31 from the floor in the first half, 23 percent shooting. They shot 45 percent from the field in the second half, 9-for-20, and went 9-for-11 from the charity stripe as every free throw they made in the last two quarters was crucial.

Covington finished with six rebounds, four assists and three steals to go with his 20 points, and Williams had nine points on three three-pointers.

Nansemond River visits Gloucester High School on Friday to open up PenSouth Conference play.