Lancers take key NE win with buzzer beater

Craig Mueller of the Timberwolves launches over Austin Ring of the Bulldogs in the Saturday game at Colfax.

A putback shot by Jawuan Nave at the buzzer capped a fourth-quarter comeback win by the Liberty Lancers at Colfax Tuesday night in a key game heading into the final week of league action. Liberty left town with a 42-41 win, a verdict which is expected to nail down the top slot for the league playoffs at West Valley in two weeks.

Nave’s shot capped a Lancer comeback after the Bulldogs had the lead for most of the ball game. Liberty had a five-point run at the end of the third quarter to trail Colfax by four 31-35.

Colfax had two buckets at the start of the last quarter, but the Lancers closed the gap with a run of five toss shots. They trailed 40-41 going into the last 20 seconds, took possession on a travel call and took the win on Nave’s floater at the buzzer.

Both teams went into the game with two losses in overall league play, so Tuesday’s game was booked as a decider on who would wind up with the best NE south record and claim the top playoff ticket.

Colfax hosts Asotin and the LRS Broncos in the final weekend of basketball at the Colfax gym, but the Tuesday verdict is expected to hold through those two rounds.

Colfax now is likely to get the number-two slot which means they figure to eventually go up against St. George’s, now 18-0, at some point in the playoff round.

The West Valley show will send three NE teams to the state finals.

Carson Cloaninger scored 21 points to lead the Bulldogs Tuesday. Colfax carved a four-point lead at the top of the first quarter, led by as much as nine, but the four-point gap was still there at the start of the last quarter and didn’t hold up.

Colfax went into the decider after booking a big win at Reardan Friday night and big wins Saturday at home against the Tekoa-Rosalia Timberwolves.

Cloaninger hit seven three-point shots against Tekoa/Rosalia and finished with a game-high 31 points against theTimberwolves. He hit six of the threebies in the first half.

Craig Mueller led the T-wolves with 15 points.

Friday at Reardan, senior Cal Gregory led the Bulldogs with 19 points in the 56-30 win over the Indians

Colfax 56-Reardan 30: 12/3 16/6 16/13 13/8; Bryan Rubin 2 (3pt) ( 0-0 5, Jaydon Soncarty 1 0-0 2, Carson Cloaninger 1 (3pt) 4-4 7, Caleb Berquist 3 (3pt) 0-0 7, Brett Kincaid 2 0-0 4, Cal Gregory 6 (2 3pt) 5-19, Kelan Becker 5 (3pt) 1-2 12. Total 20 10-15 f-14 56. Reardan Andrew Alsept 1 2-2 4, Cade Francis 1 0-0 2, Tyson Leam 2 0-1 4, Zane Perleberg 1 (3pt) 0 0-0 3, Tyler Sprecher 6 3-3 15, C. Hooper 0 2-2 2. Total 11 7-8 f-13 30.

Colfax 66-Tekoa/Rosalia 37: 19/9 21/11 16/6 10/11: Rubim 1 0-0 2 , Soncarty 4 0-0 8, Cloaninger 12 (7 3pt) 0-0 31, Berquist 1 2-2 3, Kincaid 1 0-0 2, Cameron Hiatt 1 1-2 3, Gregory 4 (2 3pt) 1-2 ,11, Becker 2 0-0 4, Austin Ring 1 0-1 2. Total 27 2-5 f-12 66. Tekoa/Rosalia Noah Beach 0 3-6 3, Mitchell Billings 2 0-0 4, Larry Frick 2 0-0 4, Craig Mueller 7 (3pt) 0-0 15, Garrett Naught 5 (3pt) 0-0 11. Total 27 2-5 f-10 37.

Liberty 42-Colfax 41: 12/16 10/10 9/9 11/6: Justin Jeske 1 (3p t) 2-5 5, Jacob Holling 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Jauwan Nave 4 3-4 11, Issac Ottmar 4 0-0 8, Thomas Redder 5 5-6 15. Total 15 10-15 f-14 42. Colfax Rubin 1 0-0 2, Soncarty 0 2-2 2, Cloaninger 10 (3pt) 0-0 21, Berquist 1 0-0 2, Kincaid 2 0-0 4, Gregory 2 2-2 6, Becker 2 0-0 4. Total 18 4-5 f-16 41.