MIAMI - Storming back from an 8-point halftime deficit and then overcoming a five-point hole in the 2:30 of the game, it looked like the Grove Ridgerunners had their fourth win of the season locked up.
But the Trojans' James Petit had the last say, tipping in an offensive rebound at the buzzer to give Southwest High School of Missouri a 56-55 in consolation action at the NEO Tournament Friday.
Grove closed the deficit with one of their best offensive halves of the season. Spencer Londagin knocked down a pair of 3's and had 8 of his 11 points in the third quarter while Tyler Busch scored 6 points as Grove briefly took the lead before the two teams ended the third period tied at 39.
Jake Spychalski would carry Grove's offense in the fourth period, scoring 9 of his team-high 17 points, but a 7-2 run by the Trojans gave them a five-point lead late in the game.
Londagin's final three of the night tied the score at 54 with 55 seconds to play, and Spychalski hit one of two free throws with 18.1 seconds left to give Grove a 55-54 lead.
After a timeout, Southwest's Jordan Epling missed a pull-up jumper at the free throw line and, after one offensive rebound and miss, Petit tipped the ball up and end as the buzzer sounded.
Epling finished with 15 points for the Trojans, including 9 in the second half, while Josh Cutberth scored 13 for Southwest, which advanced to Saturday's fifth place game.
In addition to Spychalski's 17 and Londagin's 11, Busch finished with 14 points, while Ty Phillips added 8 for the Ridgerunners, who will play in the seventh place game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Civic Center.
