Wilson’s game-winner sinks Trojans

MT. PLEASANT - It all came down to the hands of a senior.

Mt. Pleasant's Brevin Wilson found himself open behind the 3-point line with the game tied 44-44, and the clock winding down, and he let it fly. It sank in with four seconds left, and the Panthers escaped with a 47-44 win.

'That wasn't exactly what was supposed to happen,” Wilson joked. 'I'm the worst 3-point shooting percentage on the team.”

Indeed, Wilson shoots just over 20 percent behind the arc this year, but the Panther senior hit nothing but net. Fairfield's J.J. Lane nearly matched Wilson's shot at the buzzer, but it rimmed out and Mt. Pleasant won an instant classic.

Mt. Pleasant led 13-8 after one quarter and 25-17 at the halftime break, thanks in part to 10 first-half points from Dewon Trent. Fairfield's Tate Allen nailed a pair of 3-pointers in the first half to pace the Trojans at the break.

Fairfield battled back in the second half. The Trojans cut the lead to 33-31 after three quarters, and held a couple of different three-point leads, including a 43-40 advantage in the final minutes.

Mt. Pleasant scored four-straight, including a layup by Wilson to give themselves a 44-40 lead with under two minutes remaining. Fairfield's Max Weaton drew a foul on the next possession and made one of two free throws to tie the game, sinking his 12th point of the second half.

The Panthers had the ball with over one minute remaining, and were able to milk the clock all the way down until Wilson's long ball sank in with four ticks left.

'Things kind of fell apart,” Wilson said. 'I kind of just ended up getting open.”

Wilson ended the game with 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half. He sat out most of the second quarter in foul trouble.

Trent scored 12 points for the Panthers. Owen VanSickel had eight. Chase Williamson had six, and Sam Jerrell finished with five.

Weaton led the Trojans with 14 points. Lane scored 11 points and led the team with four assists. Allen finished the night with 10 points, five rebounds and four steals. Isaac Harris scored five points, and Myles McEntee had four.

'I'm real tickled with our kids effort,” said Fairfield head coach Mick Flattery. 'This is the first time our kids have been playing all together all year, so the future is bright.”

Mt. Pleasant is now 6-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play, and will host Oskaloosa on Tuesday. Fairfield fell to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the conference, and will travel to Danville tonight (Monday).