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Everyone should have known this is how it would go.
After all, this is Grain Valley and Oak Grove. This is the Four-Mile War. The games rarely lack dramatics and this one wasn’t any different.
Nearly a month to the day that the Panthers nipped the Grain Valley boys basketball team on a last-second 3-pointer, the Eagles earned some payback, pulling off a 10-point comeback in the final six minutes and escaping with a 58-57 Missouri River Valley Conference West victory at Grain Valley High School.
The game’s hero was undoubtedly senior Aaron Winter, who just returned from a shoulder injury last week. Winter scored nine points off the bench, but it was a nifty defensive play and a single free throw that made the biggest difference.
With the game tied at 57 with 13.6 seconds left, Oak Grove set up a final play out of a timeout. Panthers point guard Jordan Douglas dribbled near midcourt when Winter picked his pocket, raced down the court and drew a foul with 3.9 seconds on the clock. Winter missed his first free throw before knocking down the second.
Oak Grove threw the inbounds pass to Eric Gant who rushed the ball up the court before colliding with Winter at halfcourt and losing possession as time expired. The Grain Valley student section spilled onto the court and the Eagles’ bench erupted as Panthers coach Ty Hames screamed for a foul call.
“It’s like this every year,” said Winter, who also gripped six rebounds. “That’s just the way Oak Grove and Grain Valley play.”
The key play in the sequence – Winter’s steal – was only possible because of a switch made during a timeout. Oak Grove dribbled the clock out for most of the final 55 seconds before calling time with 13.6 seconds left. Prior to the timeout, Grain Valley senior Lucas Williams was guarding Douglas, but he and Winter decided on a hunch to switch in the Eagles’ huddle.
With Douglas juking his way up the court, Winter saw his chance at a steal and went for it.
“He was keeping it in his left and he kind of kept fake spinning,” Winter said. “He tried to do it again, and I was like, ‘He hasn’t spun yet, if he’s going to burn me I might as well go for it.’”
The play was an example of the kind of freedom Grain Valley coach Andy Herbert gives his players. With a rotation that includes five seniors, he’s fine with them doing a few things on the fly.
Everyone should have known this is how it would go.
After all, this is Grain Valley and Oak Grove. This is the Four-Mile War. The games rarely lack dramatics and this one wasn’t any different.
Nearly a month to the day that the Panthers nipped the Grain Valley boys basketball team on a last-second 3-pointer, the Eagles earned some payback, pulling off a 10-point comeback in the final six minutes and escaping with a 58-57 Missouri River Valley Conference West victory at Grain Valley High School.
The game’s hero was undoubtedly senior Aaron Winter, who just returned from a shoulder injury last week. Winter scored nine points off the bench, but it was a nifty defensive play and a single free throw that made the biggest difference.
With the game tied at 57 with 13.6 seconds left, Oak Grove set up a final play out of a timeout. Panthers point guard Jordan Douglas dribbled near midcourt when Winter picked his pocket, raced down the court and drew a foul with 3.9 seconds on the clock. Winter missed his first free throw before knocking down the second.
Oak Grove threw the inbounds pass to Eric Gant who rushed the ball up the court before colliding with Winter at halfcourt and losing possession as time expired. The Grain Valley student section spilled onto the court and the Eagles’ bench erupted as Panthers coach Ty Hames screamed for a foul call.
“It’s like this every year,” said Winter, who also gripped six rebounds. “That’s just the way Oak Grove and Grain Valley play.”
The key play in the sequence – Winter’s steal – was only possible because of a switch made during a timeout. Oak Grove dribbled the clock out for most of the final 55 seconds before calling time with 13.6 seconds left. Prior to the timeout, Grain Valley senior Lucas Williams was guarding Douglas, but he and Winter decided on a hunch to switch in the Eagles’ huddle.
With Douglas juking his way up the court, Winter saw his chance at a steal and went for it.
“He was keeping it in his left and he kind of kept fake spinning,” Winter said. “He tried to do it again, and I was like, ‘He hasn’t spun yet, if he’s going to burn me I might as well go for it.’”
The play was an example of the kind of freedom Grain Valley coach Andy Herbert gives his players. With a rotation that includes five seniors, he’s fine with them doing a few things on the fly.
“We trust them,” Herbert said. “They’ve put in the work. This is their team, and we trust their decisions.”
Winter’s heroics wouldn’t have been possible without a spark from Williams. With 5:29 left, the Eagles (16-4, 5-1 conference) trailed 57-47 when Williams splashed a 3-pointer. The next possession he again spotted up – this time from a solid five feet behind the arc – and again connected. As he ran down the court he pumped his fist and shouted at the Grain Valley bench.
“I just kind of took the shot,” said Williams, who scored all 11 of his points in the second half. “The defense was kind of backing up, and it just felt good.”
Tanner Griffin led Grain Valley with 16 points, including 12 in the final two quarters, and Daniel Mahurin added 12 points.
Gant, who leads the area in scoring with 20.1 points per game, poured in 26 to lead the Panthers (13-6, 4-2) and repeatedly found holes in the Eagles’ zone.
“All I know is I’m ready for him to graduate,” Herbert said of Gant. “... You can’t treat him like you do everyone else.”
But this night was for the Eagles, who ended the night celebrating wildly in a swarm of their classmates.
“I was just kind of letting loose,” Winter said. “You know, giving it a few yells.”
“Living in the moment,” added Williams.
GRAIN VALLEY 67, OAK GROVE 27: Earlier this week, when the Grain Valley girls basketball team picked up a 13-point Missouri River Valley Conference West win at Harrisonville, Eagles coach Randy Draper couldn’t help but feel like something was a little off.
He noticed his team missing some energy on the defensive end. He saw players settling what he termed “exchanges” instead of screens. It wasn’t the way they’ve played most of the season.
Those issues weren’t relevant Thursday as the Eagles thumped Oak Grove in another MRVC West game at Grain Valley High School.
Twelve players scored for the Eagles with Lanae Wilke and Rachel Reddell leading with 14 points each. Sarah Turner also added seven points.
“That’s probably the best we’ve played this year,” Draper said.
Brittany Douthitt (6-12, 2-4) paced Oak Grove with nine points.
