By Brayleigh Boggs
Carter County Times
A buzzer-beating putback by Colton McGuire (12) sealed a dramatic 61–60 win for East Carter over West Carter in a game that came down to the final seconds and left fans on the edge of their seats the entire match.
East Carter set the tone early as McGuire controlled the opening tip and quickly made his presence felt on both ends of the floor. After West Carter’s Wade Lawson (32) opened the scoring at the free-throw line, McGuire answered with a basket to spark an early run. East Carter’s defense followed suit, forcing consecutive West Carter turnovers and getting key stops, including multiple blocks from McGuire.
William Burton (5) and Caden Tussey (15) helped stretch the lead in the first quarter, with Tussey knocking down a three and Burton finishing inside. East Carter closed the opening period with a 17–9 advantage.
West Carter responded in the second quarter behind sharp shooting from Nate Hale (24) and Brody Boggs (14). Hale hit from deep twice, while Boggs converted at the free-throw line and added an and-one to keep the Comets within striking distance. Still, East Carter continued to answer, as Grant Menix (10) and Max Karle (11) each buried threes, and McGuire dominated the glass. East Carter went into halftime with a 37–21 lead.
The Raiders continued to apply pressure in the third quarter. McGuire scored through contact for an and-one, and William Burton (5) added points in the paint. Despite West Carter’s effort to chip away behind Tabor Tackett (53) and Boggs, East Carter maintained control and entered the fourth quarter ahead 50–34.
West Carter refused to go quietly.
The Comets put together a strong fourth-quarter rally, fueled by steals, offensive rebounds, and clutch buckets. Boggs scored multiple times inside, Peyton Nichols (5) converted off a steal, and Nate Webb (33) knocked down a three to cut the deficit to just three points. With under a minute to play, West Carter briefly took the lead at 59–58 after a basket by Hale.
West Carter continued at the free-throw line, after a late East Carter turnover, Webb converted a free throw to give the Comets a two-point edge. After being fouled, the Raiders moved downcourt, and Tussey was next at the line to shoot. He made the first, but left East trailing by one point. With time expiring, McGuire was in the right place at the right time, collecting the rebound off the missed free throw and scoring at the buzzer to secure the 61–60 victory.
McGuire’s all-around performance, scoring, rebounding, and protecting the rim, proved to be the difference, while West Carter’s late surge showcased grit and resilience until the final horn.
In a rivalry matchup that delivered until the very last second, East Carter walked away with the win, but not without a fight.
Contact the writer at news@cartercountytimes.com
