Brecken Proctor hit a three-point jumper from the top of the arch with less than two seconds on the clock to give the Thrall Tigers (9-11 overall, 1-0 District 25-2A) a 45-43 win over the Granger Lions (6-11, 0-1) Friday night.
The opening period belonged to the Lions. Thrall led 7-4 early, but Granger finished the period with an 11-2 run and took a 15-9 lead into the second period. The Lions extended their lead to 21-13 midway through the second quarter. Johnny Ryder, who finished with a game-high 18 points, connecting on a three-point jumper and added a second-chance shot with 4:58 to play in the period that gave the Lions a 21-13 lead.
Proctor then started a 10-0 run by the Tigers with a three-pointer from the left corner. Casen Sledge added another trey from the top of the arch that trimmed the lead to 21-19. And, when Brady Burlison took a pass down low for a layup the score was tied with 37 seconds to play in the half. Carson Ball finished off the run and the half with a put-back off a missed free throw as time expired and the Tigers led 23-21 at the break.
Both teams went cold from the field as the second half got underway. The teams combined for just three field goals in the period, but the Lions were able to convert six of eight shots from the charity stripe and regained the lead at 29-27 heading into the final period of play.
Granger picked up back-to-back baskets from Nathan Tucker and Ryder to push their advantage to 34-28 with 6:18 to play in the game, but the Tigers began chipping away at the lead. Tyreke Irvin it a second-chance shot and added a free throw that pulled Thrall within three. Two minutes later Colter Hill hit a running jumper and Proctor hit his second three of the game to cut the lead to 37-36 with 4:16 on the clock.
Irvin’s driving layup at the 2:22 mark gave Thrall it’s first lead since midway through the third quarter, and a few seconds later he hit a second layup to give the Tigers a 40-37 advantage. But, Granger wasn’t done. Ryder scored on a fastbreak layup and Tripp Wilkie hit a jumper that put the Lions up 41-40.
Thrall answered on a second-chance basket from Hill, but again the Lions surged back into the lead on Tucker’s two free throws that put Granger ahead 43-42 with just eight seconds to play. Thrall inbounded the ball and quickly moved down the court. Proctor set up on the top right side of the arch, took the pass and cooly drained the trey just before time ran out, giving the Tigers the win.
Proctor led the Tigers with 14 points. Irvin and Neighbors each scored seven. Ryder led all scorers with 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, while Tucker tallied 13.
