Last Saturday, the Juneau-Douglas High School Crimson Bears celebrated their senior night with a wild, 63-54 win over the Ketchikan Kings.
The Kings liked the idea enough to try it out themselves Saturday on their own senior night, this time against the Thunder Mountain Falcons.
After falling behind late in the third quarter, Kings’ seniors Jake Smith and Brent Taylor hit big 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the game to escape with a 68-67 home win.
Noah Reishus-O’Brien finished with 27 points and made nine of his 10 free throw attempts. Saviers, who delivered long 3-pointers at clutch moments, bounced back after a seven point Friday night with 22 points.
“They hit some big shots at the end and they got to the free throw line and they outplayed us,” Reishus-O’Brien said by cellphone. “We got way too many fouls in the first half and a lot in the second half.”
After trailing by eight points late in the first quarter, the Kings went on a 24-5 run, using its characteristic high-intensity defense to power its offense.
Ketchkan led at the half 39-32.
THMS fell behind by seven points midway through the third quarter before Saviers and Reishus-O’Brien got hot.
The two seniors score 19 of the Falcon’s 23 total third quarter points.
Reishus O’Brien put the Falcons ahead 51-49 on the 3-pointer several feet behind the 3-point line.
“They’re so competitive,” Blasco said of his two senior guards. “They’ve been carrying our team all season and they want nothing more to win and help their team out and they both stepped up tonight.”
The Falcons led by as many as six in the fourth quarter, but the Kings went on a 9-1 run starting at the four minute mark.
Smith spotted up for a 3-pointer in the left corner to put his team up 64-63 with 46 seconds remaining. Reishus-O’Brien made two free throws but Taylor answered 10 seconds later with another 3-pointer to put his team back up 67-65. Facing full-court pressure, Chase Saviers was fouled bring the ball up the court and put on the free throw line for a one-and-one. He made good on both free throws — tying the game at 67.
With just 14 seconds remaing, the Kings’ Chris Lee raced up the court before finding a driving lane. The freshmen was fouled and made one of two free throws.
The Falcons drew up a play out of a side out of bounds, but Saviers’ driving 10 footer was off the mark as time expired.
“[Riley Olsen] got him on a curl and Chase went in and tried to split some defenses, it’s a tough shot — possible contact — but he tried to make a tough shot,” Blasco said. “We want the ball in his hands at the end — either him or Noah with the game that they were having.”
TMHS returns home to face Juneau-Douglas next weekend in the regular season finale for both squads.
Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
Thunder Mountain boys basketball head coach John Blasco, right, assistant coach Joe Tompkins, left, and fans react late in the game Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, during the Falcons’ 68-67 loss to the Kings in the Clarke Cochrane Gym. (Taylor Balkom | Ketchikan Daily News)
Thunder Mountain boys basketball head coach John Blasco, right, assistant coach Joe Tompkins, left, and fans react late in the game Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, during the Falcons’ 68-67 loss to the Kings in the Clarke Cochrane Gym. (Taylor Balkom | Ketchikan Daily News)
