Thunder Mountain High School senior Samuel Lockhart hit four free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure a Falcons 62-54 win over the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears on Tuesday at the Alaska Airlines Region V 4A Basketball Tournament at Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s B.J. McGillis Gymnasium in Sitka.
The game was tied 16-16 after eight minutes of action behind five points from TMHS senior Kasen Ludeman and six points past the arc by JDHS junior Gavin Gerrin, but the Falcons went on a 14-2 run to open the second quarter and held onto a 30-23 lead at the half.
JDHS senior Sean Oliver opened the second half with a shot past the arc and was answered by Falcons senior Thomas Baxter with his own deep swish. Falcons senior Jace Ribao then scored, and Baxter secured a rebound which led to a Falcons fastbreak and score for a 10-point advantage at 38-28.
The teams traded baskets through the remainder of the third quarter with the Falcons Lockhart and senior TJ Guevarra notching free throws for a 47-38 advantage heading into the final stanza.
JDHS senior Alwen Carrillo hit a runner to open the fourth quarter, Oliver hit for another and sophomore Brandon Casperson scored on an inbounds play to cut the TMHS lead down to 47-44 with 5:30 remaining to play.
A pair of free throws by TMHS’ Guevarra got the Falcons rolling and Baxter, Guevarra and Ludeman pushed the score out to 55-47, answering a free throw by the Crimson Bears’ Carrillo and a basket by JDHS senior Alex Mallot.
JDHS senior Jhowel Estigoy brought the Crimson Bears to 55-49 and Carrillo drove for a 55-51 score with a minute to play.
Baxter answered with a driving basket for the Falcons and Lockhart added a pair of free throws for a 59-51 lead.
After a JDHS swish past the arc by Oliver the Falcons closed out the game with two free throws by Lockhart and another by senior Jonathan Sleppy for the 62-54 win.
“This senior class earned their first region tournament win tonight and it happened because they executed defensively,” TMHS Head Coach John Blasco said. “The guys stayed composed down the stretch, and trusted the game plan and each other. Now we have to quickly shift focus and game plan to Ketchikan.”
Baxter scored a game-high 24 points for the Falcons, Guevarra added 12, Lockhart 10, Ludeman and senior Sam Polasky six apiece, and senior Lance Nierra four.
TMHS hit 19-25 from the charity stripe, JDHS 3-11.
Carrillo led the Crimson Bears with 14 points, Oliver 13, Gerrin nine, Estigoy eight, Casperson six, Mallot and junior Ahmir Parker two apiece.
TMHS will play top-seeded Ketchikan at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, while JDHS falls into an elimination game on Thursday.
