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Last-second shot propels Incline to victory over South Tahoe

Joe Proudman
jproudman@tahoedailytribune.com
Joe Proudman / Tahoe Daily Tribune
TDT |

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – It all seemed to be going right for South Tahoe in the third quarter of the boys’ basketball game in South Lake on Tuesday. But the fourth quarter belonged to Jordan Wright and Incline.

The Vikings ended the third with an 11-point lead after the Highlanders failed to convert a field goal in the quarter, scoring just one point on a Bobby Thoms free throw to South Tahoe’s 10.

Momentum would jump from the Vikings to the visitors though, as the Highlanders limited South Tahoe to no field goals in the fourth, and just two free throws from Brandon Cramer. Incline erupted for 18 points in the final quarter, including a last-second three pointer from Wright for the win.



“I thought we had some good composure and poise in the last four minutes of the game,” said Incline head coach Brian Broaddus. “Got some key rebounds, executed on offense, and Jordan hit that big shot to win it.

“These kids are used to winning. They won the state title two years ago, not these kids but the school, we got second last year. They don’t like to lose, so they’ll keep fighting back. Things weren’t good, I told them, ‘to just keep fighting, your shots will come. I don’t think they’ll (South Tahoe) keep shooting that good for the whole game.’ ”



Broaddus was right.

Midway through the fourth, Incline cut South Tahoe’s double digit lead to 37-34, with Brandon Cramer sinking two free throws for the Vikings only points of the quarter to extend their lead to 39-34. Wright hit the first of his two fourth-quarter three pointers, after both teams exchanged a turnover, to pull within a basket of South Tahoe.

With about two minutes left, Cale Backinger put up a picture-perfect turn-around jumper right in front of the hoop that bounced in and out, leading to Mitch Gehring basket off a pick-and-roll for Incline to tie the game at 39. South Tahoe got the ball back with about a minute and a half remaining, but turned it over at the other end of the gym giving the Highlanders the ball with a little under a minute left.

Incline moved down court with 56 seconds left in the game. Intent on taking the last shot, they passed up several open looks, before Jack Clouthier found Wright on the left side of the court and a couple feet beyond the three-point arc. With just three ticks left on the scoreboard, Wright launched a shot with a defender in his face that found the bottom of the net with just tenths of a second remaining in the game, winning the game for Incline.

“We wanted to get either a good drive or kick for a three with about five seconds left. We cut it a little too close. We had the ball in a JV kids hands with about five seconds left, he made a nice skip pass. We wanted Jordan to shoot, but we wanted him to have a little earlier to either drive or shoot,” Broaddus said. “It looked good. He’s a pretty good shooter in practice when he keeps his elbow in and he’s got that follow through, he’s a pretty good shooter. And I thought it had a chance. It looked pretty good.”

Wright led the Highlanders with 11 points, followed by Thoms with 10. South Tahoe was led by Brandon Cramer with 18 point, followed by Jacob Stowell with 14. Incline can win the Mount Rose League by beating Truckee and North Tahoe in their final two games. They host the Wolverines on Friday.

Joe Proudman and Tim Parsons were at the basketball game, calling it live from the Blue Gym. You can here the replay below.


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