PORT ANGELES — Ryley Callaghan’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer rattled in and down to lift the Peninsula men’s basketball team to a crucial 68-67 Northwest Athletic Conference North Division win over Skagit Valley.
The win pushed the Pirates (7-6, 14-11) past the Cardinals (6-7, 14-11) and into a tie with Everett (7-6, 16-12) for the North’s third seed to the NWAC Tournament.
Peninsula has the easier task than Everett in its season finalé,, a 7 p.m. home game Saturday with Shoreline (5-8, 10-16), while the Trojans must visit league-leading Bellevue (12-1, 25-3) on Sunday.
Callaghan’s 3 was a fitting ending for a game featuring 14 lead changes, including one just prior when Skagit’s Elijah Smith crossed over the Pirates’ defense for a layup and a 67-65 lead with 5 seconds to go.
With 2.8 seconds left, Callaghan moved left around a Deonte Dixon screen of Smith, caught a well-placed inbounds pass from Chris Reis just out of the hands of a flailing Smith on the far left of the court, took one dribble and shot over the outstretched hand of Skagit’s Spencer Novak.
“Deonte hit a good screen, the ball got through there perfectly, I took a dribble and down,” Callaghan said.
“I don’t jump that high, but it felt like I was up there pretty high. I saw over every hand when I let it go, and I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I kind of knew it was in. I turned around and I peeked and it rattled, but luckily it didn’t pop out.”
It was the second huge 3 for Callaghan in the game’s waning moments. Earlier, he tied the game at 65-all with 19.8 seconds left.
“Those last two 3s just felt good coming off, “Callaghan said.
“I was lucky to get some good looks.”
Callaghan finished with a team-high 20 points, knocking down 6 of 8 3s.
Only minutes before, Peninsula looked to be in solid position for a runaway win after pushing past the Cardinals with a 22-9 run to go up 59-43 with 7:14 to play.
But Skagit Valley scrapped back, extending their defense to full-court and putting strain on the Pirates’ ballhandlers during a 22-3 run over 6:55 of the second half.
“I don’t think we thought we had it won,” Peninsula coach Mitch Freeman said.
“I credit Skagit. They brought pressure they hadn’t brought all game, or even all season.
“I think Skagit’s defense really picked up. They were doing some trapping and picking us up full-court. And we just weren’t very comfortable getting into our motion offense.”
The near-collapse weighed on Callaghan after the game
“There’s no excuse for letting a team come back from 16 points [down],” Callaghan said.
“We were up by 16 with 7 minutes left and it was looking pretty good, and then their pressure started.
“They are an athletic team and can get in on you pretty easily. So their pressure was kind of getting to us and we felt the lead slipping out of our hands. And the next thing you know we are down.”
Skagit took a 65-62 lead after leading scorer Gerad Davis drove to the hoop and was fouled while putting up a shot that trickled up and just over the rim and into the net.
Davis cashed his free throw, giving him 33 points on the night, and putting the Cardinals up by three to up Callaghan’s late-game heroics.
“He [Callaghan] had the hot hand,” Freeman said.
Knocking down a game-winner wasn’t new for Callaghan, who said he hit one during his high school career at South Kitsap.
But that one didn’t have as much riding on it.
“This one is so much better because of the postseason implications,” Callaghan said.
Peninsula 68, Skagit Valley 67
Skagit Valley 25 42 — 67
Peninsula 27 41 — 68
Individual scoring
Skagit Valley (67)
Davis 33, Smith 12, Jones 12, Yaworsky 5, Novak 3, Diggs 2.
Peninsula (68)
Callaghan 20, Cook 12, Deng 12, Hobbs 11,, Dixon 9, Mayeux 4.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsualdailynews.com.
