Wisconsin School for the Deaf’s Damon Hopp stole an inbounds pass and drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Firebirds a 49-46 win over University Lake School in Hartland on Jan. 22.
WSD was down by two points with 16 seconds left and a score of 44-46 when a University Lake School player missed a free-throw attempt. WSD’s Jerome Payne rebounded the ball, ran all the way down court and made a basket with about five seconds left in the game to tie it up at 46-46.
A University Lake School player tried to pass to teammates, but Hopp stole the ball and shot the three-pointer. The ball went in at the buzzer.
“Wow! What an amazing highlight basketball game last night!” coach Michael Eldred said Friday.
He said the boys suited up with only six players because of guys out because of illness, concussion and personal leave reason while the opponents had 14 players on the team.
“We began explosive outcomes and jumped ahead (of) the opponent with our leading points in the first period,” Eldred said.
The Lakers found a way to deficit some points during the third period, but WSD still led by three points going into the fourth.
“Both teams were able to score see-saw points in the paint area,” Eldred said.
University Lake School took a two-point lead late in the fourth period, and WSD had to find a way to turn the game around.
Eldred said his players began to foul, forcing University Lake School into shooting one-and-one free throws with about 16 seconds left.
One of the Lakers players missed a free throw that Payne rebounded and dribbled among several Lakers players to find a path to the backboard.
“He made a beautiful laying up basket to tie the game within four seconds left while the clock is still running the count down,” Eldred said.
An errant high lob from a University Lake player landed the ball in the hands of Hopp, who made a quick three-point shot before the expired time.
Eldred said thrilled WSD players stormed the court while University Lake players stood stunned.
“It was my first-time buzzer beat during my entire coaching experience,” he said.
WSD’s Jerome Payne scored 36 points in the game, and had 13 steals and seven rebounds. Damon Hopp added eight points and 15 rebounds, and Perles Payne scored three points. The Firebirds are now 5-6.
WSD was scheduled to play against Rock County Christian on Monday.
