GLENDALE - On one end of the court, Peoria couldn't believe it had won. On the other, Amphitheater couldn't believe it had lost.
That was the scene after Saturday's Division II state championship game at Jobing.com Arena.
Peoria senior bench player Sam Engler sank a go-ahead layup with 5.4 seconds left to cap a second-half rally and lift the No. 4 seed to a 50-48 win.
With no timeouts left and the clock running, Amphi scrambled to tie the game. But the buzzer sounded before senior Tim Derksen could get into range to get off a decent shot, and Peoria's bench poured onto the floor in celebration.
The No. 3 Panthers, trying to win their second straight state title, had a 14-point lead at halftime following a lopsided second quarter. Coach Ben Hurley credited that to playing good defense and rebounding.
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"That's what led to the lead in the first half and what we needed to do in the second half to get the win, and we didn't do that," Hurley said.
Peoria (27-3) outscored the Panthers 38-22 in the second half after managing only two baskets in the second quarter.
Senior guard DeWayne Russell, a USC commit, shot 3 for 16 in the first half but finished with a game-high 22 points and found Engler on the left side for the game-winner.
"Our idea was to get the ball out of Russell's hands," Hurley said. "He made a good find and got a guy for a layup."
Up to then, the game had all the makings of another late win by the Panthers despite blowing a big lead.
With 29 seconds left, Derksen sank a pair of free throws to pull the Panthers within one before Chris Chapman hit the second of two free throws to give Peoria a 48-46 lead.
Derksen tied it at 48 with 17.2 seconds left with a layup from the left side. He was shut out in the first quarter, but finished with 13 points and 11 assists.
Amphi (30-4) fell behind for the first time since the opening period when Peoria's Lawrence Pierce took a steal to the basket with 2:25 left in the fourth to make it 41-40.
Derksen responded with a basket as Amphi retook the lead, but Pierce hit both free throws on a one-and-one and the Panthers never led again.
"It's sad it had to end this way, but we were more successful for four years than any other team in Southern Arizona - and it's because all these guys and how hard we worked," Derksen said. "We came up a little short, but it's just a great group of guys."
Senior Charles Benson led Amphi with 16 points and fellow senior Tony Lillard sank the Panthers' lone three-pointer of the game and chipped in 12. Lillard said regardless of the outcome he still thinks they're the best team in the state.
"It definitely hurts, but the one thing is we made a family here and that's going to forever be with me, even past this game," Benson said.
PEORIA 50
AMPHITHEATER 48
