3-pointer from Manny Guy at the buzzer lifts Austin Packers boys basketball past Rochester Century 72-71 Tuesday evening
Two of the top teams in the Big 9 Conference squared off at Packer Gym Tuesday evening as the Austin Packers, in search of their third win in a row played host to the Rochester Century Panthers, who came into the game tied for first in the conference with Rochester Mayo at 3-0. The Panthers surged to a 16-point lead at 50-34 early in the second half, but the Packers were able to fight their way back into the game and in a finish that Packer fans will be talking about for a long time, senior guard Manny Guy’s 3-pointer from deep in the left corner at the buzzer found nothing but net to life the Packers past Century in dramatic fashion, 72-71.
Austin jumped out to an early lead to start the game and took their biggest lead of the game at eight points at 22-14 with seven minutes left in the half, but the Panthers, who forced 10 first-half turnovers rallied back and ended the half on a 27-8 run of their own to lead 41-32 at the halftime break. Century opened the second half with a 9-2 run to take what would be their biggest lead of the game at 50-34, but the Packers then started chipping away at the deficit and a 3-point play from guard A’Triel Terry capped off a 16-9 Austin run to cut Century’s lead to 61-58 with just over six minutes to go. A driving layup from guard Ater Manyuon with 5:43 left cut the Panther lead to 61-60, but Century Head Coach Jake Vetter called a timeout, and the Panthers fired back with a 9-0 run of their own to push the lead back to 10 points at 70-60. The Packers were undeterred, however, as guard Jack Lang banked in a long 3-pointer from beyond the right angle, his sixth and final 3-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to 70-63, and the run continued with a deep three from the right wing by Guy to cut the Panther lead to two at 71-69 with just over :20 seconds left. The Packers came up with a huge defensive play to regain possession when guard Morries Jabateh stole the ensuing inbouds pass and banked the ball off of Panther guard Shawn Jacobson while falling out of bounds to give Austin the ball back with just over :13 seconds remaining. After a timeout, the Packers put their final possession of the game in motion…
Guy wound up with 14 points, three assists and a steal for the game, while Manyuon and Lang each tallied 22 points in the win for Austin, and Jabateh, Jacob Herrick, Andrew Clausman and A’Triel Terry all scored three points apiece while Dane Mitchell tallied two points in the victory.
With the win, the Packers are now 3-1 in the Big 9 Conference, and they are now 4-1 overall on the season. Austin is now off until the Lakeville North Holiday Tournament December 29th and the 30th, with the Packers taking on Chanhassen Thursday, December 29th at 6 p.m., and New Prague Friday, December 30th also at 6 p.m.
