CAMDENTON— The streak is over.
A last-second lay-up, and subsequent steal, from Jefferson City’s Kody Walker ended the Waynesville Tiger boys basketball team’s streak district championships at three. It was their fifth-straight district final.
The Jays beat the Tigers 38-36 Friday night in Camdenton to claim the Class 5 District 10 title.
“Little things all add up,” Waynesville coach Tom Bildner said of the loss. “All the little mistakes and whatnot that happen in a close game like this all make a difference.”
The Tigers, who finish their season at 13-13, missed a few keys shots in the final four minutes.
That allowed the Jays (9-14) a chance to hold for the final shot with a minute to play and the score tied at 36.
Jefferson City’s Paul McMahon eventually put up a long jumper with about five seconds left, but there were no Tigers in the area to rebound the ball.
Walker charged from the free throw line to grab the rebound and got the putback, getting fouled from behind in the process.
However, he missed the foul shot, giving the Tigers one more chance with the ball and 2.4 seconds left.
The Tigers called a timeout and Bildner drew up a long pass play.
The Jefferson City fans yelling like mad and the Jays putting on full pressure, junior Adam Grosskreutz dished a short inbound pass to senior Tim Williams as senior Kevin Vereen sprinted down the floor and deep behind the Jay defense.
Like a quarterback, Williams looked down the floor to see Vereen, playing wide receiver, streaking for the basket.
But Williams’ pass was just a little short and Walker leaped to intercept it as the final seconds ticked off. He threw the ball in the air and was mobbed by his Jay teammates.
Despite hitting the game winner, Walker scored only four points.
Spencer Carlock was the only Jay in double figures with 13 points.
Vereen led the Tigers with 11 points and eight rebounds. Williams scored eight and also grabbed eight while junior Marquette Bennet scored eight as well.
In an even game with 14 lead changes, the Tigers led 11-10 at the end of the first quarter but Jefferson City was up 23-22 at halftime.
In a low-scoring second quarter, the Tigers outscored the Jays 7-5 to take a 29-28.
The season wasn’t as easy as last season, when the Tigers went 21-7 and made the sectionals before losing to Columbia Rock Bridge.
This year’s edition struggled at times but ended up 13-13 overall— and 5-3 in the Ozark Conference, good enough for fifth.
“I think this team really played well this season,” Bildner said. “I think overall they really improved from the start of the season. They’ve really grasped a lot just in the past couple of weeks.”
Jefferson City will advance to take on Wentzville Holt in a Class 5 sectional game Wednesday night at Union High School.
Holt beat Class 5 state runners-up Rock Bridge Wednesday night before knocking off Columbia Hickman Friday night.
In the girls game, Jefferson City beat hosts Camdenton 40-30.
