Kyle Parmley
Spain Park Basketball
Spain Park's Austin Wiley (50) shoots a free throw in a Border Wars game against Blackman (TN) on January 30, 2016, at Mountain Brook High School.
What seemed to be a sure win for Spain Park somehow turned in the opposite way.
In the Border Wars Showcase at Mountain Brook High School on Saturday, unbeaten Blackman (TN) went on a 17-0 run and scored on a putback at the buzzer to defeat Spain Park, 62-60.
Blackman's Donovan Sims corralled the loose ball and put it back as time expired to cement a emphatic comeback in the final minutes.
Austin Wiley put Spain Park (17-8) up 56-43 midway through the fourth quarter, and the Blaze went on to nail five three-point shots in a row to take the lead.
Hope was not lost, however, as Jamal Johnson canned a huge three with a minute to play to tie the game at 60. Blackman then held for the final shot, resulting in the game-ending sequence.
Each team placed three players in double figures. The hero, Donovan Sims, scored 15 points along with Deonte' Alley, who had nine in the first half. They were joined by Cedriontis Wilson's 14.
Johnson led all scorers with 19 in the game, and dished out three assists. Justin Brown was 7-of-9 from the field and scored 17 points. Wiley notched a double-double, with 16 points and 11 boards.
Spain Park started the game on a 10-2 run, but Blackman closed that deficit quickly and took the lead briefly. The Jags led by a point after the first period.
Johnson nailed a three at the end of the first half to send the Jags to the locker room with a 33-26 edge, as he had 14 of his 19 in the opening half.
