It was the kind of moment every kid who grows up shooting on a driveway hoop dreams about.
Buhler’s Isaiah Heredia delivered it Friday night, drilling a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift the Crusaders past Hutchinson, 65-64, in a thrilling Reno County classic.
“I’m really proud of him,” head coach Eric Tate said. “He’s just a guy that works, it can’t happen to a better kid.”
After trailing by 11 late in the first quarter, Buhler closed the gap to two by halftime behind Heredia’s shooting. The teams traded baskets throughout a tense second half, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
With just over four seconds remaining, Buhler sent Hutchinson’s Jalen Crable to the line. Crable split the free throws, giving the Salthawks a 64-62 edge. On the ensuing inbounds play, Asher Zachary found Heredia near the sideline at midcourt. Three dribbles later, Heredia launched the game-winner as the Buhler crowd erupted.
“Those guys just battled, gosh you’ve to tip your hat,” Tate said. “It’s fun to coach, they’re bought in.”
Lamar Govain led Hutchinson with 23 points, while Larry Jeremiah Jr. added 19. The Salthawks dropped to 0-4 on the season.
Scoring: Isaiah Heredia 21, Brycen McCurdy 17, Luke Holmberg 13, Jacob Miller 9, Landon Martinez 5
Hutchinson girls 55, Buhler 37
Relentless defensive pressure fueled Hutchinson to a 55-37 win over Buhler on Friday.
The Salthawks forced 27 turnovers and capitalized on a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to build separation.
Tenley Keeton led all scorers with 15 points for Hutchinson, while Ryan Gotti recorded a career-high 11 points to pace Buhler.
With the loss, the Crusaders dropped to 1-2 on the season.
