Arts & Sciences boys' basketball coach Zach Dragoo was a little choked up after watching senior guard Chase Pride make the winning free throw with 0.1 second left in overtime of Friday's 77-76 thrilling home victory against Boyd Buchanan.
Despite Caden Johnson's 33rd point putting the visiting Buccaneers up by one with 0.7 second left, Pride's instincts allowed him to draw a foul on his three-quarter-court heave just before the final buzzer.
Pride finished a memorable night with 24 points for the Patriots.
"I have known him since he was a baby," Dragoo said. "I held Chase in my arms. To see him now as a leader of this team means the world. He is the one the guys I look to. I told him these are the moments you work so hard for. He deserved the opportunity. He hyperfocused and tuned everything else out and made two huge free throws."
Pride was overjoyed for his team after the Patriots fought back from a 15-point first-half deficit.
"There are a lot of ups and downs in this game, but we have learned how to play through it with our experience," Pride said. "We have a great group who is hungry to be great and leave it all out there. I was born into this program. My dad was a coach here. To come out here and do this is a blessing, and my senior year has been very memorable."
CSAS (17-6) fought back from a 33-18 deficit in the second quarter with a 22-2 run, during which Pride gave his team its first lead in a while, hitting a 3-pointer made possible by a Louis Bell offensive rebound. Ture Gaines followed with two strong drives to build a 40-35 lead for the Patriots.
Jarius Cameron helped ignite the CSAS offense with eight assists, including three off great reads on inbound passes under the hoop. Cameron also started off overtime with a big 3 in the first 10 seconds of the four-minute period.
CSAS senior Chase Pride sinks the game-winning FT with 0.1 seconds left. Patriots defeat Boyd Buchanan 77-76. #BestofPreps pic.twitter.com/mXQRrehByp
— Patrick MacCoon (@PMacCoon) January 28, 2023
"Jarius is our super sub. He is our heart and plays so hard," Dragoo said. "He has been willing to play a role off the bench when most people would complain and be upset. He makes us so much better to have someone that talented coming in like he does."
Boyd Buchanan (20-5) was resilient, though, with a special showing by senior point guard Caden Johnson.
The four-year starter who has been a part of 103 wins in his prep career spun around a defender at the top left elbow for a tying basket with 1:12 left in overtime. Over the fourth quarter and overtime, Johnson scored 18 of his 33 points. Senior guard Ryan Lopez also scored 18 points, with two of his four 3-pointers resulting in four-point plays.
"Caden really deserves to be a Mr. Basketball candidate," Bucs coach Josh Templeton said. "What he has done for four years here has been remarkable, and he really deserves to be a finalist in Division II-A. He is one of the best all-around players in our classification."
The Patriots knew beating the Bucs wouldn't be easy, and they used every second — down to the tenths — to earn the big win.
"Boyd is one of the best teams in the area and state in their class," Pride said. "To get this win felt great. We all gave our all for both sides. It was a great game between two really great teams."
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.