Prep Hoops: Fourth-ranked West boys, saved by Aarion Alexander’s buzzer-beater, fight off Bartlett in double OT

Aarion Alexander

It wasn’t necessarily a Hail Mary, but a football player’s prayer was answered Tuesday night to save the fourth-ranked West boys basketball team.

Special teams star Aarion Alexander took a page from the gridiron as he threw up a 3-point heave – akin to a last-second desperation throw – that went in right before the buzzer to force overtime in a game the Eagles eventually won 64-62 at Bartlett to stay tied with Service for second place in the Cook Inlet Conference.

It was Alexander’s only basket of the game, but it’ll be one he will never forget. Neither will Bartlett, which looked to be in control after Lok Kulang’s free throw gave the Golden Bears a 55-52 lead with 11 seconds left in regulation.

On the final play, Bartlett’s Adrien Phichantharath stayed in front of West’s Des’Laone Cook and forced a pass to Alexander, who tried a pump fake to get Phichantharath to bite. He didn’t.

With time running out and in need of a miracle, Alexander had to rise and fire over Phichantharath’s outstretched arms to drain a desperation 23-footer to extend the game.

In the first OT, West raced out to a 60-55 lead only to see Bartlett battle back. In the second OT, freshman Duel Tharjiath scored a layup on a nice feed from Jock Muon to beat the press and break a 62-62 tie with 29 seconds left.

The Eagles have been lights out in OT under coach Josh Muehlenkamp over the last two seasons, winning six of seven.

CIC Boys Basketball

TUESDAY
#1 East 57, Dimond 33
#3 Service 71, Eagle River 42
#4 West 64, Bartlett 62 2OT
Chugiak 66, South 51
FRIDAY
Bartlett at Dimond
Chugiak at Eagle River
South at #3 Service
#1 East at #4 West
END REGULAR SEASON

Muon led the Eagles with 14 points while Mat Chuol and Buob Marial each had 13.

Bartlett’s 1-2 combo of Kulang and Marquez Nevitte combined for 38 points as they led the charge to help the Bears erase an 11-point third quarter deficit.

Nevitte scored 21 points to go with 10 steals while Kulang bagged 17 points and 10 rebounds. Nevitte, a 6-foot-1 junior, pumped in 14 points during an 18-4 run that pulled the Golden Bears within 30-28 late in the third quarter.

Phichantharath’s 3-pointer with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter gave Bartlett its first lead of the night at 52-50. Nevitte’s floater in the lane put the Bears ahead 54-52 with 28 seconds left.

In the first OT, Cook scored the first three points, including a layup that came courtesy of Choul’s offensive rebound off Cook’s missed free throw. Muon’s layup on Alexander’s assist made it 60-55.

Marquez Nevitte

Bartlett got a nice post bucket from Kulang that was set up by Nevitte’s beautiful interior feed and Stephen Drussell hit a 3-pointer to tie the game 60-60 with 38 seconds left to force double OT.

In the second OT, West missed four of six free throws to keep the door open for the Bears, who kicked it down after Phichantharath knocked down a shot for a 62-62 tie.

Tharjiath started the second OT by missing a pair of free throws and ended it by scoring the winning basket in transition.

WEST (64) – Cook 13, Chuol 9, Marial 13, Muon 14, Atonio 4, Mikes 4, Tharjiath 4, Alexander 3.
BARTLETT (62) – Kulang 17, Nevitte 21, Jordan 4, Press 2, Phichantharath 10, James 2, S.Drussell 6.
West 17 10 16 12 5 4 – 64
Bartlett 10 10 17 18 5 2 – 62