COLONY — Jaymond Rice’s driving layup with 3 seconds left in overtime gave Yates Center High’s boys a much-needed lift Tuesday, while Crest High’s Lancers saw heartbreak once again.
The Wildcat senior’s bucket broke a 41-41 deadlock in what became a 45-41 victory.
“Crest was playing well,” Wildcat head coach Jeremy Neville said. “We were down most of the night. We were hoping to press them and we finally got some shots on them.”
The Wildcat press was key in forcing the Lancers into a number of late turnovers. “Our little meltdown,” Lancer head coach Travis Hermreck described it.
Indeed, the contest was hard-fought throughout, with buckets at a premium.
Crest led most of the way, but each time the Lancers were poised to take control, Yates Center responded, usually with a 3-pointer.
Keyed by Reece Solander’s five treys, the Wildcats connected eight times from beyond the arc (and only nine times from 2-point range.)
“They did a great job with their man (defense) most of the night,” Neville said.
When they switched to zone, I felt like it freed things up.
The Lancers led by as many as eight in the second half before Solander connected twice from 3-point range down the stretch, including the game-tying shot with 3 minutes left in regulation.
The score stayed deadlocked through the balance of regulation, as both squads struggled to find open looks.
Overtime went much the same way.
Solander connected from 3-point range early in the extra frame for Yates Center, before Stetson Setter hit 1 of 2 free throws for the Lancers.
The Wildcats were content to pass the ball around the perimeter, particularly when Crest dropped back into a zone defense.
But a Wildcat turnover led to a game-tying shot by Crest’s Zach Beckmon with 38 seconds left on the clock.
The Lancers resumed their man-to-man defense on Yates Center’s final possession. Rice held the ball for much of the final half-minute, opting to drive to the hoop with under 10 seconds left. He snaked his way through the defenders for the clinching shot. It was Rice’s only basket of the game.
