SUMMERLAND — Victory eluded the Wolfpack boys team Thursday night as Summerland escaped with a 46 to 45 win.
Playing their third road game in a row, Elgin Public-Pope John led late in the game only to see victory slip away courtesy of two free throws by sophomore Sam Cheatum.
The Wolfpack were down 43 to 35 midway through the final quarter before senior Paiton Hoefer led a furious comeback. Hoefer scored seven unanswered points to cut the lead to 43 to 42 with 1:42 left on the clock.
Bobcat Alec Schindler made one of two free throws to bump the lead up to 44 to 42 with 1:02 left on the clock.
Then, EPPJ put the ball in the hands of freshman Karson Kallhoff who drained a trey to give EPPJ a one-point lead.
“One thing I love about Karson is he steps out there with no fear,” EPPJ Coach Matt Euse said. “Nothing fazes him.”
That set the stage for Cheatum’s free throws. EPPJ appeared to foul Schindler under the basket with 11 seconds left in the game. Schindler should have shot two free throws, but Cheatum stepped to the line and took the shots as the referees did not catch the error.
With Summerland ahead by one, EPPJ had one last shot. The ball ended up in Kallhoff’s hands. His shot from the left corner bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.
For more, see this week’s Elgin Review.
