JAMESTOWN— Shelwyn Klutz stood on the far sideline in the final minute and watched Ragsdale first bank in a desperation 3-pointer, then follow it with a 10-footer off the glass.
Klutz must have then felt helpless when Tiger guard Maurice Wilkinson pulled up for a jumper from the right wing with five seconds showing on the clock and the score tied at 55-all.
Naturally, Wilkinson’s shot bounced off the front of the rim and caromed softly off the glass before falling through net.
Wilkinson’s bucket with three seconds left propelled Ragsdale to a 57-55 win against A.L. Brown in the first round of the 3A state playoffs on Tuesday night.
The Wonders led 55-50 with a minute remaining, but Ragsdale took advantage of some fortunate bounces down the stretch to steal the victory.
“It’s basketball, it’s a funny game,”Klutz said. “They got the breaks. They were lucky, and I’d rather be lucky than good.”
The Wonders, to their credit, were the latter for most of the fourth quarter.
When Avery Patterson (15 points) hit a short jumper from the right baseline to give A.L. Brown a 53-48 lead, it marked the reserve guard’s 10th consecutive point in a 2-minute, 23-second span.
The Wonders (18-8) still led 55-50 after two free throws by Brandon Thomas (12 points) with 1:01 remaining, but then matters turned miserable for Klutz’s crew.
Tiger guard Adam Boone went one-on-one with his defender at the top of the key and banked in a fadeaway, 22-footer with 52 ticks left.
Following an A.L. Brown turnover, Wilkinson slithered into the lane and banked in a runner to tie the contest with 44 seconds showing. Wilkinson, who finished with 16 points, got fouled on the play but missed the free throw.
“We felt like we needed to isolate our guards some,” Ragsdale coach Kit Boone said. “We were putting it in their hands. Our guards are what we’ve lived and died with all year.”
The Wonders gave Ragsdale (12-8) one final chance to prove that after Thomas went up for a jumper on the left baseline and got whistled for a charge with 31 seconds left.
Wilkinson worked his magic shortly thereafter, and Patterson’s fling from beyond halfcourt as time expired fell harmlessly to the floor after striking a ceiling light.
“I didn’t think it could happen,”Patterson said of the loss.“I just knew it was ours. I just wanted it to go into overtime so bad so we could go ahead and pull it out.”
Patterson did about everything possible to put the Wonders in position to win. A.L. Brown trailed 44-43 when he entered the game with 4:29 to go.
Patterson gave the Wonders the lead 18 seconds later with a 3-pointer from the left wing, and he hit three shots in a row over the next 72 seconds to extend the advantage to 53-48.
Patterson finished 6 of 9 from the floor and also had three rebounds.
“I was just trying to lift the team up and give us a push,” he said.
Patterson, a sophomore, will get many more opportunities to help the Wonders in the future.
Ten of his teammates, who ended their Kannapolis careers, aren’t as lucky.
“I hate to see them go,”Klutz said.“I just wish we could have advanced.”
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NOTES: Lucious Miller gave the Wonders a nice spark off the bench with eight points and four boards. ... A.L. Brown forced 18 turnovers, including seven in the first five minutes of the third quarter to help the Wonders take a 34-28 lead. ... Ragsdale will travel to Sun Valley (17-5) on Thursday night.
A.L. Brown (55) — Patterson 15, Thomas 12, Miller 8, Graham 5, Robinson 4, Collins 3, Blackmon 2, Allison 2, Ardrey 2, Barrier 2, Reeves.
Ragsdale (57) — Wilkinson 16, Boone 11, Adeniyi 9, Dailey 6, Judy 6, Calloway 5, Walson 2, Pope 2, Byers.
A.L. Brown 10 15 12 18 — 55
Ragsdale 9 17 9 22 — 57
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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com
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