A last second steal, full court dribble and buzzer-beating lay up gave Petersburg a 62-60 win over the visiting Kayhi Kings of Ketchikan Thursday night before a fired up crowd of Petersburg fans.
Ketchikan held a narrow lead for most of the game, up 16-15 after one quarter, 32-31 at half and 52-49 at the end of three. Petersburg was able to take the lead in the final minutes before Ketchikan came back to tie the score. The Kings had the ball and 26 seconds on the clock with the scored knotted at 60. That’s when PHS senior Stewart Conn had the game winning steal and basket to give the Vikings a dramatic victory over a non-conference opponent.
Petersburg’s Mark Neidiffer plays defense against Ketchikan’s Jake Smith.
Petersburg coach Rick Brock said the Vikings have not played a team that transitions from defense to offense as quickly as the Kings. “And I’m not sure I’ve see a team that quick in a while that goes from when you score to them getting the ball out,” Brock said. I”t took us really three quarters to adjust to how to get back and guard the three point line and also the basket. They put pressure on us the whole game. And they mix their pressures. You don’t know if you’re gonna get jump double-teamed , if it’s a zone or man. I think that was a little difficult for use too. I think that led to some of the turnovers, when you pass, when you dribble. But the positive side of that, every time they made a run on us, at least five times in the game, they had a couple possession to a seven point lead and we were able to come back, get back to within one possession or tie the game and that was big for us.”
Blaine Volk puts up a three pointer in the first half of Thursday’s game against Ketchikan.
Petersburg was led in scoring by three seniors, Wolf Brooks scored 20 points, Conn had 19 and Alan McCay had 17 points. Ketchikan benefitted from some hot three-point shooting and also forced some turnovers that led to easy fast break points.
Brock says he could feel poise from his team when they needed to score to keep up with Ketchikan. “When we needed baskets we went inside where we had an advantage,” Brock explained. “I just thought Wolf (Brooks), Wolf especially played big inside asking for the ball, we did a great job of getting him the basketball. Mark (Neidiffer) and Blaine (Volk), fantastic job with Alan (McCay) and Stewart (Conn) getting him the ball where he could score. But I really liked our composure. Like I said there were a few times in the game where they’re so fast they can score in bunches. They’ve had other teams that have been close and then they’ll go on a10-0 run in a minute and half. So I’m really happy with our composure to be able to stay in contact with them. And then the decision making down the stretch and some big shots and the overall basketball play by Stewart to steal the ball and go the length of the court.”
Ketchikan coach Eric Stockhausen and Petersburg coach Rick Brock dressed in support of the Sagerstrong Foundation Thursday.
Some of the Petersburg team wore colorful shooting shirts Thursday and both coaches wore suits with running shoes in honor of longtime NBA and national sports broadcaster Craig Sager. He died of leukemia in December. The gate proceeds from Thursday’s game will be donated to Sagerstrong, the foundation created by the late broadcaster for leukemia research and support.
Ketchikan has the chance for revenge as Petersburg plays the Kings on their home court later this month.
