By Andy Griffin
For the Deseret News
Published: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 12:49 a.m. MST | | ST. GEORGE — The Hurricane Tigers aren't ready to pass the torch as Region 9 bullies just yet.
Despite a raucous Desert Hills crowd, the Tigers made three free throws in the game's final 36 seconds to pull out a 45-42 win over the Thunder on Wednesday night.
Anderson Rich broke a 42-42 tie by hitting 1-of-2 freebies with 36 seconds to play. After a Desert Hills turnover, Zach Sorensen made a pair with 4.2 seconds left to up the lead to three. Brandon Simister's 3-pointer from the wing as time expired bounced hard off the rim for the Thunder, leaving the big and noisy crowd exhilarated, but disappointed.
"That's a great crowd and they have a good team to support," Hurricane coach Gordon Dotson said. "I feel like we are developing a pretty good rivalry with them. We are very happy to get out of here with a win."
The game was everything a battle for first place should be, with lead changes and mood swings galore. Hurricane led by seven early in the game and Desert Hills had pushed out to a five-point edge in the third quarter before the Tigers came storming back behind the hot shooting of Sorensen and a stingy defense.
"I wasn't too concerned even when they got up by five because of our great defense," Dotson said. "We have some great senior leaders who stepped up and took charge of the game."
The game featured four ties and three lead changes in the final quarter alone, with Sorensen and Rich both hitting key 3-pointers. Tanner Atkin matched one of those 3s with a pick-and-pop play late in the game and the Thunder also tied the game on an aerobatic right-handed shot from lefty sophomore Tyler Ott.
But the Thunder turned out to be their own worst enemy late in the game, missing key free throws and turning the ball over twice in the final minute.
"We outrebounded them and we hustled and played with a lot of energy," Desert Hills head coach Steve Melessa said. "We just shot the ball too poorly, from the line and from 3, to win."
Desert Hills made just 10-of-20 from the free-throw line. The Thunder went into the game averaging 65 percent from the stripe on the season.
With the win, Hurricane handed Desert Hills its first league loss. Both teams are now 4-1 in Region 9.
Sorensen dropped in 18 points while Rich scored 11 for the Tigers, who are 12-2 overall. Jon Bodnar came off the bench to score 12 points and lead the way for the 10-3 Thunder. Bodnar, a junior post player, averaged just 1.3 points a game coming into the contest, but hit several huge shots, including a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter.
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