Gagnon buries buzzer beater in Bulldog win

SPIRIT LAKE — Senior Jeremiah Gagnon continued the hot start to the season, hitting a left-handed runner for the game winner with three seconds left, lifting Sandpoint to a 55-54 win over Timberlake in nonleague boys basketball on Thursday night.

Trailing 54-53 with little time left, Gagnon took a handoff and drove hard to the basket, hitting a tough, contested shot for the game winner.

“We called a quick hitter, and he got to the rim and made a great play,” said Bulldogs head coach Tyler Haynes, noting the shot was defended well. “He hit a tough runner. Last second shots are always fun.”

Gagnon finished with a team-high 19 points for the Bulldogs (3-1), hitting his season average and leading a balanced stat sheet that saw nine players score. The game was tight throughout, with neither team taking any big leads, and featured a wild ending.

Keegan Scott led the Tigers with 21 points, and had a look at a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded. Haynes credited the defense of Dylan Kuzmich on Scott, especially on the final play of the game.

“He’s as good as anyone in the panhandle,” said Haynes of Scott, whose runner from beyond the arc bounced off the rim, setting off a Sandpoint celebration. “Dylan had it well defended, he did a great job.”

Sandpoint travels to West Valley tonight to face a traditionally tough opponent.

Sandpoint   14   9   17   15 — 55

Timberlake 16   9   15   14 — 54

SANDPOINT — Timothy 0, Jurenka 0, Rodriguez 6, Spalding 3, Kuzmich 4, Schwartz 4, Edwards 8, Burgstahler 7, Breuner 2, Gagnon 19, Collado 2.