Buzzer-beater: Tip-in gives Timpanogos boys basketball exciting OT win at Spanish Fork
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- Timpanogos junior Gavin Messmer (30) and Spanish Fork senior Austin Weekes battle for a loose ball during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Spanish Fork junior Aaron Dunn goes up for a shot during the non-region game against Timpanogos at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Timpanogos senior Luke Livingston drives in to traffic during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Timpanogos senior Noah Curtis (1) drives to the basket during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Timpanogos junior Jack Johnson shoots a shot during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Spanish Fork senior Ethan Beckstead looks to pass the ball during the non-region game against Timpanogos at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Spanish Fork senior Landon Leatherwood shoots a shot during the non-region game against Timpanogos at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Timpanogos junior Gavin Messmer shoots a 3-pointer during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Spanish Fork players celebrate after a good defensive play during the non-region game against Timpanogos at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Timpanogos junior Jack Johnson (left) goes up for a layup during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Timpanogos head coach Golden Ingle (right) talks to junior Gavin Messmer during the non-region game at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
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- Spanish Fork head coach Garrett Johnson directs his team during the non-region game against Timpanogos at Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2023.
Timpanogos head coach Golden Ingle said that when watching the final seconds tick off the clock it was “pure chaos” but when the horn finally sounded, it was “pure poetry.”
The Timberwolves were locked in an intense, drama-filled struggle in a non-region game at Spanish Fork Tuesday night, one that could’ve gone either direction and needed overtime to determine a winner.
Timpanogos trailed by as many as seven points in the extra frame as the Dons appeared to be in great position to win.
But the Timberwolves came roaring back and found themselves with the ball and down by a single point with under 20 seconds to play.
Timpanogos attacked but the first shot missed, then the follow-up shot rolled out. Both teams scrambled wildly for the rebounds as the final ticks came off the clock — but it was Timberwolf junior Jack Johnson who managed to knock the ball upwards.
It rolled up onto the rim, hesitated for what seemed like an eternity, then softly dropped through to give Timpanogos the heart-stopping 75-74 victory over the Dons.
“One of the keys of the game was keeping our composure,” Ingle said. “Going in overtime, we got down but the guys were able to just stick together and play to win. It could’ve just as easily spun out as spun in, but that’s the way the game goes.”
Timpanogos started the extra frame cold, missing everything including free throws, layups and jump shots.
At the other end, Spanish Fork had relied on senior forward Ethan Beckstead and junior Aaron Dunn to score in the paint for much of the game and the duo did just that, with Beckstead getting the first layup of OT and Dunn putting in five points to give the home team a 74-67 lead with just over a minute left.
But the Timberwolves got some big buckets, including two foul shots from senior Luke Livingston to cut the lead to a single point.
Timpanogos then got a defensive stop, setting up the drama at the end.
“Defense and rebounds travel,” Ingles said. “Sometimes when the shots don’t go in, that is nice to have. I didn’t know who tipped it in initially and that says a lot about our guys and our team, that they want to get rebounds.”
It was everything a high school boys basketball fan could want: Excellent performances, surprise stars, heart-stopping moments and drama to the end.
Both teams had chances to win in the final seconds of regulation to get the win. Spanish Fork got fouled with the game tied and 5.6 second to play, but could only make one shot.
Timpanogos then returned the favor after it drew a foul with 0.1 seconds left, but also made just one of two free throws.
The Timberwolves got a big fourth quarter from freshman guard Cooper Lewis, who scored all 13 of his points in the final minutes.
It’s still early in the season and both teams will look to build from having played so well, regardless of the outcome.
“I want to take from this game how much the guys care about each other,” Ingle said. “We’ve said from the beginning that the star of this team is the team. We have a bunch of guys who didn’t play last year or played somewhere else. The way that they’re able to gel this early and care about each other and cheering for each other on the bench means more than anything.”
Timpanogos (6-0) stays in the area when it heads to Maple Mountain on Dec. 8, while Spanish Fork (2-3) will look to bounce back when it plays at Payson on the same evening.
Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
