Canyon High fought ferociously trying to find its first Foothill League win of the season Tuesday night at West Ranch High. When Yvan Yomba put the Cowboys up two with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter, it looked as if they would finally taste victory.
Andrew Austin had other ideas when he drilled a corner 3-pointer with six seconds remaining to give the Wildcats a 59-58 win that snapped their two-game losing streak.
“They were doubling [Austin] Galuppo and I was wide open,” said Austin, whose team is 13-11 overall and 5-4 in Foothill. “I took the shot with confidence.”
Trailing 42-40 to start the final quarter, Canyon (5-20, 0-9) scored its first four baskets on four assists during an 11-7 run in which Josue Valencia scored nine points. The offensive surge had the Cowboys leading 51-49.
Andrew Austin with the dagger as West Ranch wins 59-58 #gamewinner ???? @SignalSports pic.twitter.com/UumwXN6okP
— Keir Chapman (@KeirChapman) February 8, 2017
Galuppo answered the run with a 3-pointer, scoring 10 points in the fourth after notching five points in the previous three quarters.
After Austin sealed the game on an assist from Chris Kodama, West Ranch head coach Shant Bicakci hardly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Right now we’re not competing for 32 minutes a game,” Bicakci said. “We have to put things together quickly. There’s one game left in the season.”
The Cowboys had West Ranch on its heels early in the third quarter, tying the score three times before a Camden Apsay layup gave Canyon a 31-30 lead.
The Wildcats responded with a 10-2 run, but an Apsay 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the quarter left the Cowboys trailing by two before the final frame, and gave Apsay seven third-quarter points.
The game began with strong defense from West Ranch, which held Canyon to three first-quarter baskets. The Wildcats, meanwhile, scored six buckets on four assists and led 14-8.
Yerem puts CHS up by 3. Galuppo answers with a trey of his own. We’re all tied up 56-56. #holdyourbreath @SignalSports pic.twitter.com/BHWHjViO6W
— Keir Chapman (@KeirChapman) February 8, 2017
Six offensive rebounds in the second quarter allowed the Cowboys to keep the game close, with West Ranch holding a 22-20 lead at halftime.
Canyon closes its season against the Centurions at Saugus on Friday Night.
West Ranch looks for the season sweep of Golden Valley as it host the Grizzlies.
