JOYCE — Freshman KC Spencer took an inbounds pass with 14.7 seconds left and drove the length of the court to convert the eventual game-winning layup with five seconds left to lift Crescent to a 54-52 win over Clallam Bay.
“Our kids stepped up,” Loggers coach Darren Heaward said of Wednesday’s game.
“It was just a nice win for our last home game and last game of the year.”
Spencer stepped off the bench late in the fourth quarter, and the game-winner was his only score of the night.
“They know they need to penetrate and push it when we get those opportunities,” Heaward said of the last possession.
“We want to push that ball up and maybe find somebody on the wing if they crash to stop the drive.
“KC did a great job there and really came through.”
The final bucket was the last of seven times in which the lead exchanged hands, in a tight game which also featured six ties.
The Bruins led 14-13 after one quarter.
Each team put together scoring streaks in the second period.
Crescent put up a 7-0 spurt for a 20-16 lead with 5:32 until halftime, followed immediately by an 11-0 Clallam Bay run for a 27-20 lead with 3:27 until the break.
But the Loggers regrouped and added another run, this time putting up a 12-2 run to take a 32-29 lead to the locker room.
Clallam Bay was missing leading scorer Kelly Gregory, out with what his father and coach Kelly Gregory said was a 102- degree fever.
Without Gregory down low, the Loggers game plan was to attack the interior on offense and work the inside-outside game.
“I wanted us to feed the post, and if they started double teaming us then that opens up some things on the outside,” Heaward said.
Crescent had the size advantage down low, with sophomore big men Neil Peppard and Wyatt McNeese manning the paint.
Peppard had 11 of his 18 points in the first half, McNeese added four of his eight.
Those inside buckets did open up outside shots for the Loggers, with wing Martin Waldrip scoring 15 of his 24 points by halftime.
“It worked wonderfully,” Waldrip said of his team’s inside-outside game plan.
“Our posts really stepped their games up, and for Neil and Wyatt to come out like that tonight, to say nothing less, it was a blessing.”
The Bruins have had some roster churn this year, and had four eighth-graders suited up for the game.
One of them, Clayton Willis, scored six of his team-high 20 points in the third, including a basket to tie the game at 42-all with 2:10 remaining in the period.
“We did pretty good staying down low and feeding the post, but every now and then we’d steer away from that,” Heaward said.
The Loggers came back with a score by Waldrip and a buzzer-beater inside by McNeese to take a 46-42 lead into the final frame.
“Crescent was definitely trying to send the ball inside and so we sent our guards inside to hound them,” the elder Gregory said.
Waldrip, however, fouled out with a slim 49-47 lead with 4:27 to go, and the chances for Crescent to hold on in the face of drive and dish attempts by Willis appeared thin.
The Loggers went back inside to their second scoring option, with Peppard scoring on a post-up play, and hitting a foul shot on another possession for a 52-49 lead with 3:13 to go.
A Willis layup followed by a free throw with 1:43 left again tied the game, this time at 52-all.
The Bruins had chances in the final minute, with a Willis layup attempt spinning out with 45 seconds left, and a 1-and-1 foul shot coming up short with 20 seconds left.
That set up Spencer’s running game-winner.
Clallam Bay advanced the ball past half court but an Allen Greene 3-point attempt was off at the buzzer.
“I think we did all right. We never quit fighting,” Gregory said.
“The main thing is, I was talking with the kids about how important it is to do your jobs.
“That’s where we were making mistakes. We were just not getting into our spots on press break, we shot way too many 3s and our offense struggled.”
Gregory tried to lift Willis’ spirts after the tough ending.
“He was bummed he missed the free throw but I told him, you know we missed four or five down the end there,” Gregory said.
“I told him it’s a learning experience and, hey, we’re in the playoffs, lets’ go back to the gym and work on stuff.”
Heaward was happy to have Waldrip play such a hungry game offensively on senior night and to see poise from Spencer, a freshman.
“I was really proud of KC and Martin tonight,” Heaward said.
“Martin really stepped up, and we had the two big guys on the boards doing what they needed to do.”
Crescent (1-5, 2-14) ended its season with the win.
Clallam Bay (2-2, 8-9) hosts Neah Bay today and will play in a Tri-District play-in game next week.
Crescent 54, Clallam Bay 52
Clallam Bay 14 15 13 10— 52
Crescent 13 19 14 8— 54
Individual scoring
Clallam Bay (52)
Willis 20, Greene 14, Keys 6, Wrieszen 6, Signor 6, Smith.
Crescent (54)
Waldrip 24, Peppard 18, McNeese 8, Fletcher 2, Spencer 2, Wolfer.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsualdailynews.com.
