SCOTT CITY STUNS PORTAGEVILLE AT BUZZER

For Ricky Keller, the unlikeliest of heroes, time just stood still.

He sprinted to the ball and looked up -- 2.5 seconds.

He intercepted the pass -- 2.5 seconds.

He looked up again and found Ronald Watson underneath the basket -- 2.5 seconds.

Keller threw the ball half the length of the court and Watson put it up and in -- buzzer.

Scott City pulled off a miracle comeback Wednesday night, knocking off its arch rival Portageville 78-76 in a Class 2A state sectional game at Tiger Field House.

"I looked up and it seemed like it was 2.5 seconds forever," said Keller. "I thought, 'Is (the clock) ever going to run.'"

Keller's steal was one of about a dozen unbelievable, unforgettable moments in a game that will be talked about for years to come.

The fury started with 1:08 left in the game when Scott City's Ben Sample hit two free throws to pull the Rams within 74-71. Portageville's Matt Whitson quickly scored on a layup to put the Bulldogs ahead 76-71 with exactly 1:00 to go.

Scott Johnston made the first of two free throws to cut the lead to 76-72 with :50 remaining. Portageville then hastily turned the ball over -- one of three quick turnovers in the final minute.

David Enderle forced a three and missed and Portageville came up with the rebound and it looked like it was over. But another turnover gave the ball back to Scot City when, with :16 left Enderle was fouled on a 3-point attempt.

Enderle hit the first two free throws, but missed the third. The ball bounced around the lane like it was in a pinball machine before Watson put in a layup on the left side of the basket with about :08 to go.

Then, Scott City was thinking overtime.

"(William) Durden came over and I thought he was going to foul me," said Watson. "But I got it to go and I thought 'Okay, we're going to overtime.'"

But Keller had different ideas.

Portageville tried pushing the ball up the court, but Keller -- who is not a starter -- read the long outlet perfectly along the right sideline and picked it off at about halfcourt.

"I thought they were going to call a foul," Watson said. "Keller got a little bit of body."

"What a great steal," said Scott City coach Derek McCord. "He looked up just like he's supposed to do. This is not only the most exciting game I've ever been involved in, it's the most exciting game I've ever watched."

But the game wasn't over with Keller's steal. A simple two-foot layup still had to be made.

"On the layup, I thought I missed it," Watson said. "Then I didn't think I got it off in time. But it went in for me."

As the ball went through the net, the clock read 0:00 as Scott City captured its only lead of the game.

"My assistant coach said to call a time out," said Portageville coach Jim Bidewell. "But we wanted to hurry up and take the ball up the floor. We had several rebounds we couldn't hold onto. But give Scott City credit to (come back) without their big man. I don't know why we were turning the ball over. We kind of panicked. It was their game to win and our game to lose."

The Rams found themselves in a four-to-six point hole for most of the game.

Portageville never led by more than seven points, however. The Bulldogs owned their biggest lead of the game, 71-64 with 2:23 left.

"I'll be honest with you," Watson said. "When we were down by seven, I never gave up, but I thought it was over."

Said McCord, "This is the kind of game when you're constantly telling your kids that you've still got a chance. And our kids never gave up."

Watson scored a game-high 25 points for Scott City, followed by 6-foot-6 center Ryan Weatherspoon -- who fouled out late in the fourth quarter -- with 18 points. Ben Sample added 17.

For Portageville, Roy Booker and Durden each had 19. Matt Whitson added 12 and Mark Jones had 10.

Portageville led 42-40 at halftime and 61-56 going into the final quarter.