Dustin Hamilton's shot with 35 seconds left off a Tate Richardson pass lifted North Harrison's junior high boys over Winston 26-25 Thursday following a wild finish as the Shamrocks overcame adversity.
In their first game, North Harrison won handily, 41-13 over Mercer. But in Thursday's game, after jumping out to a 6-2 lead, North Harrison began turning the ball over as Winston got a steal to jumpstart their fortunes. By the end of the quarter, the lead was gone. Then, their best player, Ethan Henson, who is tall, athletic, and knows the game well, went down with an injury and didn't return. From there, the Shamrocks had to figure out how to play without him.
Meanwhile, the scoreboard was stuck at 9-6 for five minutes after the Redbirds scored to start the second quarter as North Harrison got stops on defense, but couldn't stop from turning the ball over. Winston finally broke the ice with two free throws with 46 seconds left in the half, but Andrew Craig's backdoor look brought North Harrison to within 11-8 at the half.
Craig scored again for the Shamrocks to start the second half, but then all hell threatened to break loose as the Redbirds scored the next six to make it 17-10. But all of a sudden, the Shamrocks settled down and started playing well. The turnovers disappeared, and the shots started to drop as Craig scored off a Dustin Hamilton drive to stop the bleeding. Winston got a putback, but then Kyler Kimbrough got a putback and Wyatt Maize scored off a drive at the buzzer and somehow, North Harrison was still part of the game, down only 19-16. After getting 16 turnovers in the first three quarters, North Harrison only had 1 in the fourth.
Pressed into service when Henson went down, Kimbrough turned into a force on defense, stealing the ball several times and getting some boards as well. Missing wildly for much of the first half, Andrew Craig got better as the game progressed, finishing better at the rim in the second half. Maize was getting to the rim at will to set everyone else up, and Hamilton, held in check for three quarters, finally got going in the fourth.
Winston scored to start the fourth quarter to go up 21-16, but then Noah Guy hit a free throw and Maize's drive set up Dustin Hamilton's inside shot to make it one possession again at 21-19. When Guy, who made some hustle plays during this stretch, got shaken up and came out, Tate Richardson came off the bench and got a key board and two key steals down the stretch along with the game winning assist.
The Redbirds went back up 23-19, but then Wyatt Maize drove and fed Andrew Craig, who cut it to two. Then, following a stop, Dustin Hamilton slashed to the rim to tie it at 23. Winston executed a perfect pick and roll and scored despite Andrew Craig's best defense to make it 25-23. Andrew Craig missed a shot, but the ball went out off a red shirt and North Harrison got another possession. North Harrison missed again, but then Maize picked a redbird's wallet and went coast to coast, cutting it to 25-24 with 57 seconds.
Trying to run some clock, Winston dribbled it out of bounds and Hamilton scored off a drive after a pass from Tate Richardson with 35 seconds left to put North Harrison in front 26-25.
But the final seconds were frantic as the Shamrock defense was up to the challenge. Winston tried to get it into the post, but Kyler Kimbrough knocked it out of bounds with 19 seconds. Then, Dustin Hamilton knocked it out off the inbounder and the Shamrocks got the ball back. North Harrison traveled with it as Winston was pressing, but then Tate Richardson made the first of several big plays down the stretch as he stole it right back and drew the foul with 13 seconds left. He committed a violation on the free throw, but Winston aired it out deep, Andrew Craig made the red shirt miss the shot, and Richardson was right there for the defensive board with 5.3 seconds left. He again committed a violation on the ensuing free throw after Winston fouled, but Dustin Hamilton stole another Winston attempt to air it out with 2.9 seconds left.
Hamilton missed the one and one try, but Andrew Craig grabbed the offensive board and was fouled with 1.4 seconds left. In the double bonus, he missed both tries, and Winston again tried to air it out and get the last shot. But Richardson was there again with the steal and the clock finally ran out.
Andrew Craig and Dustin Hamilton had 8 points each. Wyatt Maize had 5, Ethan Henson and Kyler Kimbrough 2 each, and Noah Guy 1.
Andrew Craig had 13 boards. Dustin Hamilton had 11, Kyler Kimbrough 5, Ethan Henson, Wyatt Maize, and Tate Richardson 3 each, and Noah Guy 2.
Dustin Hamilton had 3 assists. Wyatt Maize had 2, and Tate Richardson 1.
Dustin Hamilton had 5 tips. Wyatt Maize had 4, and Kyler Kimbrough and Andrew Craig 2 each.
Kyler Kimbrough had 6 steals. Tate Richardson, Dustin Hamilton, and Wyatt Maize had 3 each, Noah Guy 2, and Andrew Craig 1.
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