Vikings win thriller over Bulldogs

SANDPOINT — The final minute of Coeur d’Alene’s thrilling 53-52 Inland Empire League win over Sandpoint packed quite a wallop Thursday night at Les Rogers Court.

It started with Deon Watson’s running baseline jump hook, which resulted in a three-point play to put the Vikings (4-6, 1-1 IEL) up 53-48 with just over a minute to play.

The lead would disappear in the ensuing frenetic period of action, as Stefan Buratto picked up two quick steals and converted both for layups to bring Sandpoint (3-5, 0-2 IEL) to within 53-52 with 23 seconds left.

After Coeur d’Alene got the ball back, a five-second call on Watson would give Sandpoint numerous in-bounds attempts under their own basket with a chance to win, before the final pass resulted in an open 15 foot baseline jumper for Buratto, whose shot bounced off the back of the rim at the buzzer.

“We built a five point lead and then turned the ball over,” said a relieved Kent Leiss after the game. “It seemed like we had to stop them six times at the end and the D got the stops.”

Devon Austin led the Vikings with 14 points.

Stefan Buratto had a game high 22 points, and almost single-handily carried his team to the win down the stretch. The Bulldogs struggled mightily from the free throw line, which Sandpoint coach Tyler Haynes thought was the difference in the game.

“We’ll work on them; it’s not something we can’t fix,” said Haynes of the free throw misses, many of which came on the front end of one and ones in the fourth quarter of a game that was tight throughout. “Give Coeur d’Alene 1000 percent credit. They defended the in-bounds passes at the end of the game.”

Tanner French added five points, five rebounds and six assists running the show for the Bulldogs, and Bryce Olin added nine, including a couple long range bombs.

Sandpoint hosts Post Falls on Thursday.

Coeur d’Alene   14    11    18   10 — 53

Sandpoint          14     9     18   11 — 52

COEUR d’ALENE — Austin 14, Chalich 0, White 5, Casley 11, Reno 3, Baracco 0, Watson 9, Williams ,9.

SANDPOINT — Olin 9, French 5, Lawrence 6, Cafferty 2, Siegel 2, Swerin 4, Locascio 2, Buratto 22.