By By MICHAEL BASHARA / Niles Daily Star
COLOMA -- The Buchanan basketball team traveled to Coloma Friday night for a Lakeland Conference showdown that turned out to be everything a fan could want in a game as the Bucks lost 65-63 in overtime.
This was a game that truly wasn't over until it was over. With 6.5 seconds to go in the overtime, Brian Shannon hit his third 3-pointer of the night. Buchanan used its final timeout with five-tenths of a second showing on the clock.
Gordon Bryant intercepted the inbounds pass near mid court, leaping into the air and shooting at the same time. His shot was dead on the basket, and had it been a centimeter higher it would have gone through. Everyone at the scorer's table agreed that the shot would have counted.
This game was truly this close in every way. Each coach used all his timeouts. The rebounding was even at 33 rebounds for each team. Each team made 24 field goals. Each team hit four 3-pointers. Buchanan shot 61 percent from the free throw line, and Coloma shot 59 percent from the free throw line. The difference was Coloma made 13 free throws, and Buchanan made 11.
The game started slowly for both teams. Coloma's Jermain Murphy hit the first shot to give Coloma the early lead. Bryant answered with a jump shot to tie the score. Coloma's Bobby Edelberg hit a jump shot to put Coloma up 4-2. Tony Robinson hit a 3-pointer to put Buchanan up 5-4.
The game stayed close the whole way. Each team had little runs to put go ahead, but neither team ever gave up.
Coloma led at halftime by two points, but opened up the third quarter by scoring the first 11 points to take a 33-20 lead midway through the third quarter. Buchanan cut the lead to six points before Coloma scored four points to push the lead back up to 10.
DuJuan Bennett hit a basket inside at the buzzer to make the score 39-31 going into the final period.
Shannon started the fourth period by hitting a 3-pointer. Then Bryant scored on a layup. Zach Bonham hit two free throws, and Robinson hit a jump shot to tie the score at 40-40.
After Bonham scored inside and Bennett hit two more free throws, Buchanan had a lead of 53-19 with 1:17 to play in regulation.
Coleman then hit a jump shot and two free throws on the one and the bonus to tie the score.
In overtime Edelberg hit a 3-pointer and Jake Boven scored inside for the Comets. Robinson scored twice in the overtime and Bennett scored once and hit one free throw.
Coloma scored free throws in overtime to win the game. Edelberg made 3-of-4 in the overtime. Sebastian Lewis and Murphy each made 1-of-2.
Robinson led the Bucks with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Bonham had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Buchanan was without the services of P.J. Pollock who rolled his ankle Tuesday at Covert. Buish was back in action after missing two games with a sore arm.
Coloma wins the Lakeland Conference outright with a record of 13-1. The Bucks play Dowagiac in the Class B District Tournament Monday.
The junior varsity game was also won by Coloma, 45-43. Kyle Tracey led the young Bucks with 17 points.
The Buchanan freshman also lost to Coloma, 45-40. Damian Bryant, Terrell Tucker and Brad Burns each had seven points to lead the Bucks.
The Bucks host the Class C District Tournament starting Monday by playing River Valley.