Cougars flirt with disaster once again
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By Kent Coultas
After needing a buzzer beater in the opening round of the tournament, the West Central Cougars again waiting until the last second before claiming victory in the semi-finals.
Cameron Sievers scored with 3 seconds remaining in the game as West Central beat Greenfield-Northwestern 51-49 Jan. 17 in the semifinals of the Winchester Invitational Tournament.
Greenfield-Northwestern got a three-point basket with 2:51 remaining and go up 49-44.
Sievers answered with a three-point basket and get West Central with 49-47 with 2:37 remaining. He tied the game with a layup with 58 seconds remaining.
Nick Hamilton had a steal with 32 seconds remaining. Sievers missed a shot, and Greenfield-Northwestern was out of bounds after grabbing the rebound with 26 seconds remaining.
After a timeout, Sievers held the ball and drove in from the right side. He baseline shot was good, and Greenfield-Northwestern called a timeout with 2 seconds remaining.
Hamilton stole a long inbounds pass, and the Cougars advanced to the title game.
Greenfield-Northwestern missed two shots and committed three turnovers in the final 2 minutes. Two of the turnovers came on offensive fouls.
West Central fell behind 5-0 before Ryker Ford made two free throws with 3:41 remaining in the first quarter. Greenfield-Northwestern increased their lead to 9-2 before Ford made a three-point basket.
Nick Hamilton and Ford each made baskets in the final minute, and Greenfield-Northwestern led 16-14 after one quarter.
Ford scored to tie the game early in the second quarter. Hamilton made a three-point basket, and the Cougars led 19-16.
Blayne Sidwell and Hamilton each three-point basket in the final 2:47 as West Central took a 29-23 lead into halftime.
Greenfield-Northwestern started the third quarter on a 12-1 run and take a 35-30 lead. They led 40-33 before Hamilton made a three-point basket, and West Central trailed 40-36 after three quarters.
West Central trailed 44-40, but Sievers and Hamilton both scored to tie the game with 4:00 remaining.
Sievers scored 15 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, for the Cougars. Hamilton made four three-point baskets and finished with 15 points. Ford scored 12 points.
Sidwell scored five points, and Carson Brown scored three. Caden Meyer scored one point.
