With 23.9 seconds left in regulation, Jamestown coach Billy Miley’s sudden request for his team to double team on defense might’ve saved the season for the Red and Green.
As Miley called for his team to double team Health Sciences’ Amir Moye, the instant addition of another defender was enough for Jamestown’s Bishop Butts to intercept a pass from half-court and go in for an open layup, tying the game at 48. His defensive play and score turned the Red and Green’s fortunes from trailing by a basket to being tied.
Health Sciences had the last to shot to win it with 11 seconds left in regulation but turned it over with 3.7 seconds, forcing Jamestown to try a full-court heave, which missed, sending the game to overtime.
In the extra period, the Red and Green prevailed to win the Section VI Class AA title, 59-57, at Buffalo State University’s Sports Arena. Jamestown will face Section V’s Victor (16-5) at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in the Far West Regional.
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“This is phenomenal,” Miley said. “It’s a goal you have, but sometimes you really don’t think you can get there, but this year I thought we could. We knew it would be a fight tonight and it was. It was a great game and hats off to Health Sciences because they played their butts off. It’s one of those games where it felt like it was going to come down to the last possession and it did.”
Health Sciences had the final shot with 11 seconds remaining in overtime. The Falcons ran a play for Moye with two of Health Sciences’ bigs setting picks and him going around them. As Moye approached the basket, Butts backed off, which allowed Moye to elevate, but his floater didn’t go in. Moye scored a game-high 27 points on 11 of 25 shooting. He made all four free throws, had six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Moye did what he could for his team, but the evening belonged to Butts, who was a force on both sides of the court. He scored 19 points on 7 of 15 shooting and went 5 of 7 from the free-throw line. Butts corralled 12 rebounds and had six blocks. His lone steal came when he tied the game late in regulation.
“This means a lot, especially getting to the regional after the new crossover they added to this section because it’s kind of tough to add another game into the run. We had to try and get to states,” Butts said. “Coming out beating Health, they’re a really good team and coming out and getting the job done means a lot to us.”
The game was tied at 10 after the first quarter. Jamestown led briefly in the second quarter then either trailed or was tied for the rest of regulation. The Red and Green didn’t take their first lead in almost three quarters until overtime free throws from Jack Carlson, who began the period because Elijah Farmer fouled out. Carlson scored four of Jamestown’s 11 overtime points, the most of any Red and Green player.
When Moye missed the game-tying shot, Carlson was the first player to dive for the ball and his possession secured Jamestown’s victory.
“You get a guy like Jack Carlson who comes off the bench and he’s making like three or four of these incredible hustle plays,” Miley said. “That’s the stuff he does, he could care less about scoring. You got a couple buckets and rebounds for us and played his butt off and that’s why he gets the minutes he does.”
