(Albany, OR) – Sound the horn and beat the buzzer.
Kaden Horn's three point shot was going through the net when the buzzer sounded and the backboard light came on, giving Lower Columbia a 79-76 victory over Skagit Valley in the opening game of the three-day Linn Benton Crossover tournament in Albany, Oregon on Thursday December 15
th.
In a tight back and forth game that featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes, the Devils got the final possession with 14 seconds left. With time running out, LCC guard
Mekhi Morris lost control of the ball on the left side of the court and had to leap into the air to keep it from going out of bounds. The pass went to
Jonah Zeller who found Horn out near the top of the key. As the Cardinal defender came at Horn, he used one dribble to clear for the game winner. Nothing but net.
Horn ran away from his appreciative mobbing teammates but was eventually caught for back slaps and high fives.
Horn came off the bench to score 10 points including 5 for 6 at the free throw line and the game winner.
Carter McCoy had a career-high 17 points and six rebounds off the Devil bench. LCC reserves outscored the Skagit Valley bench 37-10.
Emanuel Steward paced the Red Devil scoring with 18 points.
The Devils jumped out to a 12 point lead with 5 minutes left in the first half but the Cardinals cut the LCC lead to five at the intermission. When Skagit Valley took a four point lead with 13 minutes left, the game became a grinding back and forth affair. One key to the Devil victory was free throw shooting. LCC was 11 for 12 at the charity stripe (91.7%). The Cards were 12 for 17 at the line (70.6%).
Hodges Flemming of Skagit led all scorers with 31 points.
Cole Hardy had nine points for LCC.
Cameron Holden scored seven.
Ashton Harvey had six points and six rebounds.
The Devils (8-2) continue play at the Linn Benton Cross over with a 4 pm game against Columbia Basin on Friday December 16
th. CBC defeated Linn Benton 84-74 on Thursday.
Lower Columbia takes on the host Linn Benton team Saturday December 17
th at 4 pm.
