Bishop Gorman outlasts Liberty in double overtime thriller

If you thought the shot rivalry betwixt Bishop Gorman and Liberty was intense, you should person been connected manus for Tuesday’s hoops showdown betwixt the section precocious schoolhouse unbeatens.

John Mobley deed a leap changeable from conscionable wrong the 3-point line, lifting the big Gaels to a 97-95 treble overtime triumph successful the Platinum Division title crippled of the Tarkanian Classic.

The shot nestled into the nett arsenic the last buzzer sounded, ending 1 of the astir breathtaking precocious schoolhouse games successful caller memory.

“We’ve been successful immoderate large games implicit the years successful this gym and different gyms crossed the city,” said Grant Rice, manager of the nine-time reigning Nevada big-school authorities champions. “But that’s decidedly 1 of the amended ones, without a doubt.

“Two truly bully teams, large atmosphere, some teams played hard. It conscionable came down to a mates of large plays we made.”

The archetypal came successful the last seconds of the archetypal overtime erstwhile Gorman’s Ryan Abelman sank a 3-pointer to forge a necktie astatine 87. The 2nd was Mobley’s buzzer-beater aft Liberty’s sensational forward, Joshua Jefferson, made 2 escaped throws with 14 seconds near successful the 2nd overtime that tied the people again astatine 95.

“I told each those (Liberty) guys to support their heads up, we’re astir apt going to spot them 3 much times,” Rice said aft the pulsating triumph that upped Gorman’s grounds to 10-0. “They’re truly good.”

Gorman trailed by 18 points successful the archetypal fractional and ne'er led successful regulation, though the Gaels astir won successful spectacular manner earlier the other periods. After a last-second scramble, a heave from conscionable extracurricular the half-court stripe by Gorman’s Ryan Elisaldez went into the handbasket — a 2nd (or two) aft clip expired, according to the officials.

“I thought it was bully … but astatine this point, I’m benignant of gladsome (the handbasket didn’t count). It gave the fans much basketball,” Rice said.

Abelman kept Gorman successful the crippled aboriginal and led the Gaels with 28 points. The 6-foot-9-inch Jefferson finished with 41 points for Liberty, which mislaid for the archetypal clip successful 7 games.

“It was a large game,” said Patriots manager Kevin Soares, a erstwhile Gorman and UNR star. “(The fans) got treated to thing truly good, truly special.”

Soares said the aforesaid tin beryllium said astir the Gorman mystique, which, combined with the 5th foul connected Liberty sophomore playmaker Dedan Thomas Jr. with 3:40 to play, seemed to rescue the Gaels from a uncommon decision connected their location court.

“They’re nationally known; they’ve got immoderate coaches implicit determination that bash a large occupation and kids that person endowment who privation to spell determination and play,” Soares said. “That’s wherefore they’re pugnacious to beat.”

But the Patriots’ manager managed to muster a grin successful the subdued Liberty locker room.

“Get your popcorn ready,” helium said of what promises to beryllium an entertaining seasonlong bid betwixt the 2 rivals. ”There’s going to beryllium 3 much (of these).”

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.