Buzzer-beater sends Royals to bitter loss

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HINCKLEY - It was a tough pill to swallow on such a historic night, but Serena's Brady Johnson made Hinckley-Big Rock basketball fans take the bitter with the sweet Monday.

The 6-foot junior guard looked up at the clock at the midcourt line, took about three more dribbles, pulled up and drilled a 36-foot jump shot with two defenders in his face to lift the fifth-seeded Huskers to a 49-47 "upset" of the fourth-seeded Royals at the Class 1A H-BR Regional.

In the opener, played while H-BR's girls were earning a trip to state this weekend with a supersectional win over Dakota at Elgin Community College, top- seed Newark coasted to a 62-44 decision over No. 8 Leland-Earlville.

"(Johnson) got the ball with two guys on him and took the shot with two guys in his face and made it. It was well-executed on his part," said H-BR coach Bill Sambrookes, whose team closes at 17-11.

It's the third time the Little Ten Conference foes have met this season. The Royals won the regular-season game and the Huskers (10-15) prevailed in the opening round of the LTC Tournament, where they had the same seeds.

The Royals struggled early in the quiet gym, trailing much of the first half before finally pulling even 22-22 with 34 seconds left and taking their first lead - 26-24 - two seconds before the buzzer on a Colton Craig 3-pointer.

The stands began filling up during the break as the crowd from the girls game made its way home. And the girls team arrived midway through the third quarter to give H-BR a boost.

"What a great atmosphere," said Serena coach Jonathan Immel.

The score was tied five times in the second half and changed hands seven times, four of them in the final 36 seconds.

H-BR's Ryan Salazar (game-high 18 points) drove to the basket with time winding under 15 seconds and put up a shot that was batted away by Serena's 6-6 Josh Schleutker (12 points). Kevin Kreinbrink grabbed the rebound but was surrounded by a trio of H-BR defenders.

Salazar stole his pass for Johnson and dropped in a layup with seven seconds remaining to give the Royals their last lead, 47-46.

That set the stage for Johnson's heroics.

"I didn't know what to think when it went in. I lost control," said Johnson, who walked back to the H-BR student section and held up the front of his purple jersey.

"I do apologize to the H-BR fans, coaches and team."

Free-throw woes sank the Royals, who made just 10 of 23 from the line.

"We didn't shoot the ball well at all, from the floor or the line," said Sambrookes. "It was a struggle and a grind all night long to make some baskets. Part of that, of course is Serena's defense. They did a good job of contesting our perimeter shots. But we weren't defended at the free throw line.

"We've won games with our free throw shooting this season."

Newark 62, Leland-Earlville 44 - Senior Kurt Anderson opened the game by making three straight 3-pointers and the Norsemen (21-5) built a 20-7 lead after one quarter and 46-12 margin at the half.

At that point, the 6-1 guard who returned from a broken hand three games ago, had 21 points on 7 of 11 shooting (5 treys) with five steals and one assist. He opened the third quarter with another trey and finished with 24 points.

"We brought our defense (forcing 12 first-half turnovers)," said Anderson. "We didn't want to let them get in the game."

The Panthers close 6-19. Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock Regional