The Durango High School boys basketball team trailed Fruita Monument by 12 points in the third quarter of their Southwestern League clash Saturday but rallied and won the game, 49-47.
With 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the score even at 47-47, Durango committed its seventh team foul. Fruita missed the front end of the one-and-one, and Lincoln Clay snagged the rebound. Anthony Flint brought the ball up court, created an open look about 3 feet behind the free-throw line and swished the game-winning bucket as the final buzzer sounded.
The bucket capped Durango’s rally, which began with a 13-0 run to start the fourth. Flint made two shots to start the quarter, including one beyond the arc. Landon Roberts scored with a reverse layup and a putback. Flint came up with a steal and took it coast to coast for a layup, then made a pair of free throws to put DHS up 45-40.
The Wildcats responded with two buckets and a 3-pointer to take the lead back, 47-45, with about three minutes remaining.
Clay got fouled at the 2:04 mark and sank two free throws for Durango to tie the game at 47.
Both teams forced turnovers after that, but Flint came up big when his team needed it at the end.
Roberts’ putback with 5:40 left in the fourth gave Durango its first lead of the game, 41-40.
Fruita scored the first seven points of the game and led 13-9 after the first.
Neither team scored much in the second and DHS went into halftime trailing the Wildcats 24-16.
After Fruita scored the first two baskets of the third quarter, DHS coach Alan Batiste subbed in five players from the bench. The bench players picked up the intensity, with Zach Haber and AJ Folk scoring. When the starters returned, they picked up where their teammates left off. Walter Stauffer scored down low, Flint hit a trey, and Dylan Bettin completed a three-point play. Fruita sank a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to take a 40-32 lead into the fourth, but then the Demons came back.
Flint scored 24 points to lead Durango. Stauffer added eight points and eight rebounds while six other players contributed points.
With the win, DHS improved to 9-11 overall and 2-4 in the 4A/5A Southwestern League. Fruita slipped to 10-11, 2-4.
The teams split their regular season series with Fruita winning the first game 46-44.
The Demons will wrap up their regular season with a game at Alamosa Thursday and then host Montrose on Saturday.
