WILLIAMSBURG — With just one second on the clock and an inbound play below the basket, the Cardinal basketball team trailed by one point with its season on the line. One second later, they were moving on to the district semifinals.
Dawson Lewis found position on the block, took the ball on a bounce pass and sank hosting Williamsburg with a lefty layup at the buzzer, silencing the Raider student section and sending the Comets on, 59-58.
“When I saw the ball catch the rim, I had to lean in to help it,” Cardinal head coach Michael Strasko said. “I noticed Dawson had put some right spin on the ball, so I was really only concerned with the buzzer.”
Lewis put it up in plenty of time. The shot counted, and Cardinal continued to celebrate on Williamsburg’s home court.
Lewis was the man of the hour for more than just his shot at the horn. He went 7-for-9 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point land to lead the Comets with 16 points. Teammate Griffin Greiner scored 13 points and pulled down a Comets-high six rebounds. Blaine Bryant had 11 points and six assists, with five rebounds. Keysean Moore scored eight.
The Comets (11-9) earned the right to play Thursday at Pella Christian (11-11)which had a bye.
The winner will play either top-seeded Albia (17-2) or Eddyville Blakesburg-Fremont (11-11) in the Class 2A District 11 final.