Durango won the game ... until the referees said the Demons didn’t.
Leading by three points, Durango High School senior Steven Wyman was at the free-throw line with a chance to put the Evergreen Cougars away for good. Having one of the games of his life, Wyman’s free throw rattled around but didn’t go through the hoop. Evergreen’s Bridger Tenney got the rebound and pushed the ball quickly up the floor. Durango’s coaches screamed for their team to foul an Evergreen player, but their voices couldn’t be heard.
The ball found Tenney’s hands well behind the 3-point line at the top of the arc. The clock on the scoreboard hit 0.0, and the buzzer sounded with the ball still in Tenney’s hands. He heaved a shot that went in. Durango players celebrated. Evergreen players celebrated. And the referee held his hands in the air to signal for a good basket.
After gathering for a few moments with the rest of the referee crew, the basket was allowed, and the game went to overtime tied 43-43.
DHS came out fast and furious in overtime with a Kyle Kirkpatrick layup and a Wyman dunk to take a 47-45 lead. The Demons led 48-45 after a Kobe Szura free throw, but the Cougars claimed a lead at 50-48 after a Chase Rogers 3-pointer.
Kirkpatrick missed a free throw from the corner, but a Durango rebound and pass back out to Kirkpatrick gave him a chance at redemption. The senior guard didn’t miss a second time, and his 3 gave Durango a 51-50 lead with 10 seconds to go in overtime.
Durango had fouls to give but again couldn’t get a foul on an Evergreen player. Cougars guard Rhys Sayler pulled up for a jump shot at the buzzer, and his shot fell to give Evergreen a 52-51 win in the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A Boys Basketball State Tournament. It was a Sweet 16 game, with the Demons’ season coming to an end. Evergreen will play in the Elite 8 on Saturday.
CHSAA does not allow video review. After the referees made the decisive call on the floor, there was nothing anyone could do to overturn it, no matter the video evidence available in the gym.
“We gave it our all,” Wyman said. “Coach all season was talking about some kind of basketball gods looking out for us. We had like 30 turnovers one game and won. I guess they weren’t looking out for us today.”
While the Demons were left wondering what they could’ve done, it was pure elation on the Evergreen side.
“You gotta be a player to want the last shot,” Sayler said of his game-winner. “If you’re not and you’re shooting it, you’re gonna miss. I knew I had to take that shot. I gave a little (hesitation), pull up at the elbow and it went in. I’ll never forget this moment.”
Tenney fouled out in overtime, but he had already done his part with the 3-pointer to send it to overtime. He said Sayler was the only player to take the final shot, and he had complete confidence it would go in.
He wasn’t as confident about his shot at the end of the fourth quarter.
“Our play broke down a little bit, and I knew I only had a second on the clock,” he said. “I knew I had to throw it up and give us a chance. I didn’t know if I even got it off. Surreal, but that’s what you hope and dream of.”
Durango trailed by 12 in the second quarter, but Kirkpatrick made a 3 before the halftime buzzer to cut the deficit to nine. DHS stormed out of the locker room on a 12-0 run paced by Wyman, who scored 15 of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter. Malik Liggins made several big plays for the Demons, who outscored the Cougars 20-6 in the third quarter to take a 36-31 lead into the final 8 minutes of play. But two quick Evergreen steals led to four even quicker points, and Evergreen was right back in the game.
“We fought our way back,” said Evergreen head coach Scott Haebe, who has coached the Cougars for 25 years. “Two shots at the buzzer. Kirkpatrick hit that one for Durango. What can you say? Great game, and I’m really proud of my kids for hanging in there.”
After knocking down multiple jump shots in the first half, Evergreen couldn’t buy one in the second half until Tenney’s late make.
Durango heated up, as Kirkpatrick finished with 14 points. But DHS went only 10-for-18 from the free-throw line. And, with four fouls to give at the end of the fourth quarter and overtime, failing to earn a whistle and make Evergreen inbound the ball proved equally costly.
“We had to execute a little better,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “We couldn’t get the lead above three points. We should have handled it at the free-throw line. That’s where I told the guys we were going to win the game. It’s unfortunate they didn’t drop.”
Evergreen’s coaches and players complimented the Durango team and fans, who were loud and passionate all night. Tenney finished with 13 points for the Cougars, and Sayler had five. Chase Rogers scored nine of his team-high 16 points in the first half and made four 3-pointers. The team’s leading scorer, Michael Dillon, finished with 10 points despite struggling with his shot. With 20 wins, Evergreen now has its best season in school history.
“It’s a shame one of those teams had to lose,” Haebe said. “I feel bad for Durango.”
Durango also had one of its best seasons at 21-4. DHS won the 5A/4A Southwestern League for the first time since 2007 and proved to be worth the fourth-seed in the state tournament.
“Any level you’re at – NBA, college, high school – it’s just tough when you lose by two buzzer-beaters,” Batiste said. “Questionable stuff. But that’s basketball. There’s nothing you can say to the boys. It’s tough no matter how you lose, but that’s sports. If they hit the buzzer-beater twice, they deserve it.
“Our boys played their hearts out. I’m proud of them.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
