Price’s buzzer-beater lifts Belleville West past O’Fallon at Bank of O’Fallon Shootout
Belleville West senior Keli’i Price did the right thing at exactly the right time Friday at the sixth annual Bank of O’Fallon Shootout.
A 6-3 forward, Price tapped in an offensive rebound at the buzzer as the Maroons defeated O’Fallon 41-39 in a Southwestern Conference game.
With the score tied at 39 with 6.6 seconds remaining, West junior Tommie Williams had the ball at the top of the key, took two dribbles and put up a 14-foot jumper which bounced off the rim.
Price, one of three Maroons crashing the boards, tapped the ball off the glass and through the basket as the final buzzer sounded.
Price was then mobbed by his teammates who celebrated perhaps their biggest win of the season..
“I saw Tommie (Williams) take the shot and just went to the rim in case the ball came off for an offensive rebound,’’ Price said. “I was able to get enough of it top tap it in
“I was just happy to make a play to help my team. This is a big win for us.”
West (11-10) was led by Williams, who had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Javieon Wallace also added 12 points for the Maroons, who led by 11 points in the third quarter before the Panthers rallied .
Ranked ninth in the Class 4A state poll, O’Fallon (19-5) was without 6-7 junior and leading scorer Shaun Riley III who was diagnosed this week with mononucleosis according to coach Brian Muniz.
But after O’Fallon took a 39-37 lead on a basket by Caleb Burton, the Maroons tied the game on a shot by Ty Lampley then won it on Price’s dramatic put back..
“I always tell the players in that situation that it’s not the first shot that goes, it’s the second. Keli’i did what he was supposed to do and was in the place where he could tap the ball in. This is a very big win for this basketball team,” West coach Alex Schobert said.
“After the game last week at Edwardsville, I told the team that we had eight games left in the regular season and we could go one of two ways. I was just pleased at how we responded and played tonight.”
O’Fallon, coming off a win over previously undefeated Collinsville a week ago, jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first three minutes but managed only nine points the rest of the first half which ended with West leading 25-16.
But after using a 13-6 scoring run to take the lead, the Panthers fell just short.
Now O’Fallon will be without its top offensive player for at least a couple of weeks. But Panthers coach Brian Muniz wasn’t making any excuses.
“West came in tonight and played very well. We didn’t help ourselves by going 0-for-7 from the foul line tonight in the first half. It’s the way it is in this conference though. On any night any team can win,’’ Muniz said. “I was pleased with the way we fought back but we used a lot of energy in doing so.
“But we just didn’t hit the shots tonight.’’
Burton and Amerey Wills led O’Fallon with nine points each.
Other Bank of O’Fallon Shootout results
Springfield Southeast 72, Mascoutah 58
Southeast all-state junior James Dent started out hot and the Indians had no response as the Spartans (9-13) rolled to the easy win in the opening game of the night.
A streak shooting 6-6 forward, Dent connnected on 13-of-25 shots and scored 31 points while Kamran Banks added 14 points for the Spartans, who led 37-28 at halftime then expanded the lead to 59-44 after three periods.
Justin King led Mascoutah (13-12) with 17 points while Braden Bryant added 12.
Bloomington Central Catholic 60, Pinckneyville 51
Central Catrholic (16-6) jumped out to an 18-9 lead and never looked back in posting the second upset of the night at the Panther Dome.
Cole David led the way for the winners with 21 points while JT Welch added 13. Pinckneyville (23-3), ranked second in the Class 2A poll, got 16 points from Dre Scott.
