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Tigers sting Yellowjackets in overtime thriller
Overcoming a half court buzzer-beater that tied the game in regulation, the Nevada Tigers fought back in overtime to nip Kansas City Center 58-55 Friday night in Wynn Gym.
The victory was Nevada's 17th straight as the Tigers conclude the regular-season 22-3 overall and 9-3 in West Central Conference-play. Despite having defeated Center twice in its past three games, Nevada finished a game back of the Yellowjackets in the conference standings.
With the game tied 43-43, Tigers point guard Matt Sommer buried a 3-pointer form the top of the key to hand Nevada a three-point advantage with two seconds remaining in regulation.
After emerging from a timeout, Center Yellowjackets guard Franck Kamgain took an inbound pass from under Nevada's basket and accelerated upcourt. Needing only two dribbles Kamgain answered Center's prayers, banking in a 40-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
"The shot felt real good when I released it," Kamgain said. "Unfortunately we went on to lose the game, but at the time I was very glad that God gave us another chance."
It was a stunning turn of events, however, to get to that point Nevada was the team who mounted a big second half comeback. The Tigers were slow out of the gate trailing 17-9 at the conclusion of the first quarter.
Yellowjackets junior Amaun Ryan-Robinson caught fire from long-range in the opening frame, knocking down three triples, including one at the buzzer to hand Center an eight-point lead.
The Tigers were unable to thaw out offensively in the second, as Center did a terrific job on Tigers' star forward Clay Gayman, who was held to just two first half points as Nevada trailed 23-14 at the intermission.
Prior to returning to the floor in the second half, Tigers head coach Shaun Gray implored his squad to "dictate the pace."
Center opened the half with buckets from Isaiah Washington and Rachaad White to increase its advantage to 13.
The Tigers then responded with a 7-0 mini-blitz, courtesy of a Sommer drive-and-score, followed by a Myles McNeley 3-ball from the right wing, and capped by Patrick Ferry's lay-in assisted by Sommer as Nevada trailed 27-21 at the midpoint of the third quarter.
After a Ryan-Robinson slashing drive-and-bucket extended Center's lead back to eight, McNeley again struck from deep, as his second 3-pointer of the quarter trimmed Nevada's deficit to five.
The Tigers then used a 6-2 spurt, with all of its points coming from Gayman and Sommer as Nevada found itself down 31-30 with 20 seconds remaining in the third.
With 5:50 remaining in regulation a White follow-up jam put Center on top 36-31. In dire need of an offensive boost, Sommer came through with a three from the right corner to get the Tigers within two.
Nevada regained the lead via Gayman's three-pointer near the top of the key, as the Tigers led 40-38 with 2:50 left in the fourth. A pair of Gayman free throws at the 2:08 mark pushed the Tigers lead to four. With 1:43 left in regulation, Gayman elevated for a highlight-reel block of Ryan-Robinson, who was looking to finish in transition.
Nevada was unable to put the game on ice after a turnover near half court resulted in a Kamgain lay-in, slicing the Tigers lead to 42-40 with 1:22 on the clock.
After a defensive stop, Center looked to take the lead with a White 3-pointer. The senior's trey was off-target, but the rebound was corralled by Washington who went up for the game-tying lay-in with 43 ticks left on the clock.
After a Nevada time out, Sommer received a pass near half court, and immediately drove to the basket, drawing contact. Sommer then knocked down 1-of-2 to put Nevada up 43-42. At the other end Ryan-Robinson was fouled on a drive with 22 seconds remaining, also hitting 1-of-2 free throws to tie the game.
After the wild sequence of events that put the game into the four-minute extra session, Nevada grabbed a 51-49 lead two minutes in, after Gayman's bullet pass from the high-post found sophomore guard Carter Swearingen under the basket. Swearingen then made a quick move on the baseline and elevated, flipping a gorgeous pass mid-air to Ferry ---- who scored from the left block.
Center had a quick answer, as Kamgain's trey put the Yellowjackets in front 52-51 with 1:38 on the clock. With 1:01 showing on the Wynn Gym scoreboard, Gayman swished a 3-pointer from the left wing as Nevada led 54-52. The Tigers then came with key defensive stops as Gayman finished off Center by sinking four consecutive free throws.
A late 3-pointer by Yellowjackets forward David Wilson cut Nevada's lead to three, but Center was unable to come up with a steal or foul as the Tigers ran out the clock to conclude a magical Senior Night.
For the Tigers , Gayman led the way with 22 points while connecting on 12-of-12 from the charity stripe. Sommer finished with 18; Ferry 10; McNeley, six and Braeden Hinton, two. Ryan-Robinson tallied a team-high 17 points, while Kamgain finished with 14.
Nevada held a big advantage from the line, hitting 24-of-29 free throws, while Center was just 5-of-9.
After the game Gray told the Daily Mail that it was his team's second half defensive effort that led to the comeback victory.
"In the second half we ran a triangle-and-two and 1-3 chaser," Gray noted, as the Tigers looked to slow down Center's three-guard attack. "(Ryan-Robinson) killed us in the first half."
Up next
The second-seeded Tigers receive a first-round bye in the Class 4 District 12 tournament, and await the winner of Monday's matchup pitting third-seeded Warrensburg against sixth-seeded Harrisonville. The Tigers semifinal matchup is slated for 9 p.m. Tuesday in Clinton.