JACKSON LAYS IN WINNING SHOT IN WANING SECONDS

JACKSON -- Justin Suedmeyer was `Justin Time' Tuesday night.

The senior guard scored a game-winning layup through traffic with two seconds left to cap off Jackson's 12-4 run at the end of the game as the Indians edged Charleston 65-63.

With :34 seconds remaining Jackson called a timeout to set up a play. The Indians stalled, and with about :08 left Suedmeyer, dribbled through the heart of the Blue Jays' defense and put in a fairly uncontested, yet difficult right-handed layup.

"We just tried to clear out and draw a foul or kick it to Doug (Cary) because he had the hot hand," Suedmeyer said. "I ended up making it all the way to the basket and it ended up going in.

Usually, penetration opens up a shot on the perimeter, but Cary was such a threat Tuesday night, that he, by spotting up, actually opened up a layup. Cary finished with 21 points, including five 3-pointers.

"We wanted to get penetration and look for the open man," said Jackson coach Steve Burk. "But they stayed home and he took it to the rim."

Jackson (13-6) found itself trailing 59-51 with 5:26 left, the largest lead held by either team, but limited Charleston to just one field goal thereafter to come from behind.

"I felt like the last three or four minutes of the game, that we played the best defense that we've played in a ballgame," Burk said.

"I looked up and it was 59-51," said Charleston coach Danny Farmer. "I think we thought we had the game then and stopped doing the things we needed to do."

Jackson's win avenged a 61-56 loss to Charleston in the championship game of the University High Christmas Tournament.

As far as individual performances, Suedmeyer finished with just four points.

"I was struggling with my shot a little bit," Suedmeyer said. "It was a total team effort tonight."

Indeed it was.

It was Cary and 6-foot-4 forward John Oehl (18 points) who provided the bulk of the scoring, but everyone's effort was needed, especially since junior guard Tory Meyr was injured late in the first quarter and senior forward Harith Jones was sidelined with a knee sprain.

Cory Daniel scored 12 points, including a layup with 1:57 that gave the Indians their first lead of the fourth quarter.

Matt Hale scored eight points, including two crucial buckets in the final 4:09 of the game.

Oehl, who didn't even start, is usually a role player who gives Jackson another big defensive and rebounding presence in the paint. But at times Tuesday night, he looked like Jackson's first offensive option.

"I got quite a few points off of rebounds and quite a few through the offense," Oehl said.

"I think he had his best game of the year," Burk said.

For Charleston, three players scored all but six of the Blue Jays' points. Jeffrey Ewing poured in 32 points, including four 3-pointers. Terrance Gillespie scored 13 and Travis Jones scored 12, with almost all of those coming on put-backs.

Immediately following Suedmeyer's game-winning shot, Charleston called a timeout and the officials put two seconds back on the clock after the buzzer had sounded. Following a timeout by Jackson and another by Charleston, the Blue Jays finally ran an inbounds play, but the desperation half-court shot wasn't close.

The Indians trailed 18-16 after the first quarter, but thanks to eight consecutive made free throws -- including six by Daniel -- at the end of the second quarter, Jackson owned a 36-30 lead at halftime.

The score was knotted at 49 going into the fourth quarter.