Bailey Verk’s Buzzer Beater Sends ThunderRidge to Final 4

By Jon Miller
Denver, CO – As we have witnessed in the past, magical things happen at the Denver coliseum and nothing is safe until the final buzzer.
Trailing 43-40 with less than 15 seconds left in the game, Doherty’s Kyrele Benford shot a three. The ball hits the top left side of the rim, bounced off the backboard and through the hoop with 11.7 seconds left on the clock. The Spartan faithful erupted as the Doherty just tied the ThunderRidge Grizzlies 43-43.
After Benford tied the game, ThunderRidges Kaison Hammonds inbounded the ball to Bailey Verk, and Verk passed the back to Hammonds with time running down. Hammonds raced down the court as time ticked away. Doherty’s Duke Carey took a swipe at the ball, causing Hammonds to pick up his dribble and jump out of Careys way. As Hammonds was in the air, he found an open Verk cutting through the lane toward the basket. Verk caught Hammonds pass for an open layup. After the ball pass through the hoop, the buzzer sounded. Ball game! ThunderRidge 45 Doherty 43.
“I wasn’t looking to get the last shot because I trust any of my teammates with it. I was just trying to get to the basket to get a rebound or a put back in case we did miss but it hit my hands and I was able to get off the last shot.” Bailey Verk said of his game winner.
Credit Hammonds for not panicking with time ticking away.
“It’s kind of something that just happened at the last second and I saw him open, so I just made the play and he made it.” Kaison Hammonds added
These two teams battled from the opening tip in a game that featured 11 lead changes and the largest lead either team could muster up was 4 pts.
Joe Golden led Doherty in the first half, scoring 13 of the Spartans 25 first half points as Doherty took the 25-24 lead into the break.
Not only did the Spartans have the lead at intermission, ThunderRidges leading scorer Kaison Hammonds headed to the locker room with three fouls of his own.
“Honestly I am used to playing with three or four fouls.” Hammonds said. “I just got to keep my composure throughout the game and not make stupid fouls.”
ThunderRidge adjusted in the second half and the Spartans foul trouble started to add up.
“We had a game plan going in and we tried to execute it better with earlier position, crowding the lane and showing off help.” ThunderRidge coach Joe Ortiz stated. “We were just a little bit better of doing what we were planning on doing (in the second half). When we went zone, they kind of lost their sorts.”
The ThunderRidge zone hindered the Spartans and they struggled to get the ball to their two big men Joe Golden and Alijah Bates. ThunderRidge held Golden and Bates to 5 combined second half points.
“They got us going to 22 (Alijah Bates) a couple of times but they really didn’t go back to him so it kind of changed the flow of the game.” Ortiz added.
Not only did the zone limit the Spartan interior, it also caused the Spartans to get into foul trouble.
Doherty was whistled for 13 fouls in the second half, including a handful of charges on the offensive end. Just as many championship caliber teams do, the Grizzlies took advantage of the Spartan fouls, scoring 9 of their 21 second half points from the free throw line on its way to the win.
“I told them I love them. They did everything we asked them to do and they executed our game plan perfectly.” Doherty coach Eric Steinert said to his team after the game.
Steinert explained what he saw on the final play.
“Hammonds came down and he was driving, and we walled him off. We did a great job and he bobbled the ball and I think anybody that has instinct when you see it bobbled, you just go towards the ball and he (Verk) got behind us. Obviously, you don’t want to lose that way, but I understand it. As a player you see the ball available and you want to make a play but then you don’t have any rotation.” Steinert said.
ThunderRidge was led by Justin McCaw, who scored 13 points. Kaison Hammonds added 12.
The Grizzlies will play Grandview in the Final Four on Friday night.
Joe Golden led the Spartans with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Kyrele Benford added 10 points.
The Spartans end their season at 21-5.