BILLINGS – Tyler Kinghorn calmly knocked down a free throw with one second left on Thursday night as the Billings Skyview boys basketball team shocked Billings West, 40-39, at Rimrock Auto Arena.
The Falcons opened up a 19-15 halftime lead behind the defense of 6-foot-10 shot blocker Zach Schacht.
The Golden Bears would pull ahead by a point in the third before Schacht thrilled the crowd with a two-handed poster dunk. Skyview led by two after three quarters of play.
The Falcons increased the lead to five with two minutes to play before West rallied back. Jesse Owens hit a top-of-the-key 3-pointer to pull the Bears within 39-37 and Cole DeVries tied it up with five-foot floater.
The teams traded turnovers in the final 30 seconds, but the Golden Bears had a chance to win with under five seconds left. Owens drove the lane but could not hit the floater and an over-the-back foul was called on West with one second to play.
That put Kinghorn at the line with a chance to win the game and he did not disappoint. Kinghorn drilled the first, then intentionally missed the second as Skyview celebrated at halfcourt.
Skyview is now 4-6 after the win, while West fell to 5-5.
The girls played the early game of the doubleheader, and the Lady Golden Bears made sure there would be no late drama.
West ran out to a 38-20 halftime lead and never looked back as it rolled to the easy 67-50 win.
Shayla Montague led the scoring with 14 points, TyRaa Manuel added 12 and the twin towers of Maddie and Willa Albrecht finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
West is now 8-2 on the season and 4-1 in conference.
