Buzzer Beater Gives Sandies Win

Grapeland 58 Trinity 57

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

TRINITY – The Grapeland Sandies were beat. They were beaten down physically before they boarded the bus to play the Trinity Tigers on Tuesday night. And as the game neared the end, they were down by two with one second left to play.

The smart money said the Sandies were about to lose. Down two starters, the Sandies were about to drop their second game in a row to a team they should have handled easily.

This group of ballers, however, is not accustomed to losing. Last year, they lost two games. One of those losses they avenged when they took out LaPoynor in the Regional Finals by 18. The other loss was in the State Championship to a Clarendon squad they should have beaten.

On Tuesday, Grapeland fell behind by 24 in the first half and trailed the Tigers by 20 entering the fourth quarter. Slowly, the Sandies chipped away at the lead and managed to cut it down to a single basket with all of one, uno, ein, 1 second remaining.

Somehow, the clock didn’t run out and Grapeland had one last chance, with the ball at mid-court.

Omarian Wiley was set to inbound the ball and got a free look. No one was guarding him. Riley Murchison was on the baseline and made a move that allowed him to get loose, 10 feet behind the three-point line.

Wiley faked like he was going to throw it inside but then hit Murchison as he found a soft spot in the Tigers’ defense. Murchison caught the ball cleanly, pivoted to face the basket, got a good look and launched a three.

He knew it was in the minute it left his hand and sprinted to the other end of the gym. With the horn blaring to end the game, the ball singed the twine to give the Sandies the 58-57 win.

The victory moves the Sandies to 10-5 on the season and gave them a needed boost as they prepare to begin competition in District 20-2A next week.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].