VALLEY CITY, N.D. (Newsdakota.com) – Peyton Zaun’s desperation three-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining hit nothing but net and sent the Valley City Hi-Liners and their fans into pandemonium as the bucket by the senior gave the Hi-Liners a 69-68 lead as the horn sounded.
However, after the referee’s discussed it they put .8 seconds back on the clock which meant Grand Forks Red River would have one last chance to win it. But when Logan Arason stepped over the line when he went to heave the ball down court. All the Hi-Liners had to do was inbound the ball and they would pick up their second win of the season. And they did.
Zaun’s winning basket came as a result of two missed free throws at the other end by Paine Parks for Red River and Jared Eggermont grabbing his game high 13th rebound with 16.5 seconds remaining. Zaun brought the ball up the floor, after a few dribbles, past to his brother in the left corner. Drew would immediately get it back to Peyton and with two Roughriders on him, the senior launched it and nailed his third three of the night.
After the players stormed the court and started to celebrate, the Hi-Liners had to regroup and get one more defensive stand. Arason was able to run the baseline but when he launched a football style pass down court, he took a step forward and his foot crossed the end line and that brought the whistle. The pass was heading out of bounds anyway down at the other end of the court.
The Hi-Liners trailed by as much as 13 in the first half when Red River led 29-16 with 4:26 to go in the half thanks to a 15-1 run by the visitors. But Valley City cranked up the defense and ended the half on a 17-5 run to cut the the to one at 34-33 at the break.
Paine Parks scored 11 in the first half and Zachary Kraft had nine for Red River.
To start the second half, Valley City went nearly four minutes without a field goal. Just three free throws by Eggermont was all they could muster until his bucket inside off a nice pass from Calahan Burchill. That made it 41-38 Red River with 14:08 remaining in the second half.
The Hi-Liners would get there first lead since 15-14 when they broke the press and Eggermont scored on a layup to make it 44-43 Valley City with 12:28 to play. Red River would take the lead back at 45-44 only to have th That e Hi-Liners go back up 47-45. Back came the Riders to tie it at 47. Peyton Zaun hit two free throws with 10:02 remaining to give the Hi-Liners a 49-47 lead
After Kraft and Adam Bitz exchanged three-pointers the score was 52-50 Valley City. Eggermont hit two free throws with 9:02 remaining to make it 54-50 Valley City. They would hold that lead until Kraft hit a three pointer with 2:25 remaining to tie the game at 61.
Eggermont would give Valley City the lead back at 62-61 with a free throw with 2:04 left in regulation. But Brady McQuillan would hit a floater in the lane to give the Roughriders a 63-62 lead with 1:53 to go. That lead would grow to 66-62 with left 1:00 left. The Hi-Liners would score four of the next six points to make it 68-66 Red River with 17.9 seconds left.
After a Hi-Liner timeout, the Roughriders would get the ball to Paine Parks for what they hoped would be a pair of free throws to seal the game. But the junior would miss them both. The second miss was rebounded by Eggermont to set up Zaun’s heroics.
Zaun finished with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals. Eggermont added 17 points and 13 rebounds. Calahan Burchill was in double figures with 10 points and added six rebounds. Drew Zaun had a team high four assists.
Zachary Kraft led Grand Forks Red River with 17 points and four steals. Parks had 12 points and Samuel Kruger had a game high five assists.
The win counted for 2-points in the EDC standings and put Valley City at 2-4 in the conference and 2-5 overall. Red River falls to 0-5 in the conference and 0-5 overall.
Valley City travels to Wahpeton on Friday for a matchup with the Huskies. Red River travels to West Fargo Sheyenne on Friday night.
Watch the game below: