Three-Pointer At The Buzzer Ends Westminster Boys Hoop Season

An incredible season came to a tear-jerking thud Friday night at MICDS High School’s McDonnell Gymnasium, as the boys basketball team lost the MSHSAA Class 4 District 6 championship game, 73-72, to University City on a last shot.

The Wildcats, who had rallied to take an eight-point lead midway through the fourth quarter Friday night, led 72-70 with 5.9 seconds left, when U. City guard Travon Williams drained a dramatic three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Lions to an improbable win over the absolutely stunned Westminster Christian team.

“It’s just unbelievable man, I can’t believe it,” Williams said, after knocking down one of the greatest shots in U. City High’s storied basketball history. “I was really thinking just get to the rim, but I looked up and saw there was only two seconds left on the clock. So I thought, I’ve got to shoot it, and luckily man, it went in. And I don’t know what happened after that.”

What happened, was an absolutely bonkers celebration on the court, as the several hundred U. City fans in attendance stormed onto the court to celebrate with the delirious U. City players.

Video of the stunning moment can be seen here -- U. City's three-point buzzer beater over Westminster Christian -- courtesy of KSDK-Newschannel 5.

“The whole game, I was sure we were going to win,” U. City head coach David Gammon said. “And then for those last 20 seconds, I was sure we weren’t. But that’s high school basketball. I’m just so proud of this team.”

The moment was nearly as exciting for the Westminster players and fans, who looked on silently stunned at the dramatic turn of events.

Several Westminster players fell to the floor and were visibly inconsolable as the U. City celebration raged on on the other end of the court.

Eventually the floor was cleared and the Wildcats were presented with their second-place trophy. But it was a hollow award for a team that envisioned itself going much deeper in this year’s playoffs.

U. City led Friday’s ballgame at halftime, but it was a dynamic 16-3 run midway through the third quarter that gave Westminster a lead it seemed it might be able to hold for the rest of the game.

The Wildcats went up 45-39 on a layup by senior Connor Fleming that sent the Wildcat fans into a frenzy, and forced U. City’s Gammon to call timeout.

Westminster eventually pushed its edge to eight points in the fourth quarter before U. City began to mount its rally.

Williams scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth, and made continuously came up with an array of shots and free throws to keep his team in the game, when it seemed Westminster was destined to pull away.

Dohr, Fleming, Koby, and Steiner each scored in double-figures on Friday, with Dohr leading the way with 19 points, including two free throws with 34.5 seconds left that put Westminster up 71-67.

But U. City’s Williams answered with a three-pointer that pulled the Lions to within one.

Dohr was fouled again, and went to the line with a chance to put Westminster up three with just under six seconds left.

Unfortunately though, Dohr only made one of two foul shots, setting up the final dramatic play where Williams raced the length of the court, and against double-coverage, fired up a three-pointer that swished through the basket as the horn sounded for an unbelievable U. City win.

“(In the timeout before the play) I told the guys just get the ball to Tra or (senior point guard) Alex Henry and give them some room, but stay close enough in case they get stuck somewhere,” Gammon said afterward.

Interim head coach David Klyn kept his heart-broken players in their locker room for more than 30 minutes following the game, and when they emerged, they were given a large ovation by the throngs of Westminster fans who had hung around the gym to thank the players for a wonderful 22-5 season.

Looking forward, next season might be even better for the Wildcats, who only lose two seniors from this year’s squad, and will bring back three of its top four scorers in juniors John Eric Steiner (15.9 ppg), Jack Dohr (15.4 ppg), and Grant Koby (6.8 ppg).