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Buzzer-beater gives JFK win
By Jim Flick
Warren
Paige Klaric sank a three-point shot at the buzzer Thursday night to give Warren John F. Kennedy High a 51-49 victory over United.
Klaric’s shot capped a hard-fought comeback from the Eagles (3-0), who had trailed United (2-1) by as many as 11 points. The last-second victory was the first win for Warren JFK over the Golden Eagles since the series began four years ago.
“I had no idea it went in,” Klaric said. “I thought I’d missed.”
Klaric, a senior, added that the win over a school her team had never beaten “is a real turning point for this team.”
Warren JFK coach John Baytes echoed his player’s comments.
“This is really a quality win for our kids. It tells me how far we’ve come,” he said. “Our kids never hung their heads. They kept scrapping and playing basketball.”
United coach Roger Zeigler said his team knew Klaric would take the last shot, and assigned two of his players to guard her — but they couldn’t stop her.
“When you let a team hang around, anything can beat you,” Zeigler said. “We had them on the ropes a couple of times, but we gave them so easy layups, and let them back in the game.”
Raesha Gaston and Erin McBride each contributed seven points for Warren JFK, while Kelsie Massacci added five.
For United, Ruth Prosko was the scoring leader with 15 points, while Crystal Richards added nine points and Sierra Pauls scored seven.
United’s balanced scoring led to a big lead for the Golden Eagles early in the game. United led 12-3 in the first quarter, with five different players putting points on the scoreboard.
Klaric sank three three-pointers in the first half to help keep Warren JFK close, and the Eagles tied the score at 17 late in the second quarter. But United surged ahead and held a 29-22 lead at halftime.
United started fast in the third quarter, and held the first double-digit lead of the game at 36-26 early. The lead grew to 11 points before Warren JFK started a comeback. Near the end of the third quarter, Klaric, Gaston, and McBride each sank a pair of free throws that cut United’s lead to one, 38-37, after three quarter.
The fourth quarter was a low-scoring affair, and McBride sank a three-pointer to give Warren JFK its first lead of the night, 40-38.
United battled back, and Carter sank a shot that gave the Golden Eagles a 48-44 lead. Sierra Pauls added a free throw for United.
Carter, Klaric, and Massacci connected on free throws that made the game 49-48, setting the stage for Klaric’s dramatic, desperation shot at the buzzer.