{"id":30124,"date":"2023-12-19T00:07:47","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T07:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/dove-creek-nips-monticello-in-double-overtime\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T01:12:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:12:13","slug":"dove-creek-nips-monticello-in-double-overtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/dove-creek-nips-monticello-in-double-overtime\/","title":{"rendered":"Dove Creek nips Monticello in double overtime"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Dove
Dove Creek's Sheldon Gardner lines up the game-winning free throw late in the second overtime Saturday, Dec. 16, against Monticello, Utah, in the boys' third-place game of DCHS' 2023 Bulldog Classic. Gardner totaled 27 points in the Bulldogs' wild 53-52 win.
\n (Joel Priest\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Sheldon Gardner\u2019s free throw with 3.7 seconds remaining in the second four-minute overtime session afternoon Dec. 16, not only capped a magnum-opus effort by the junior, but proved the difference between hosting Dove Creek and visiting Monticello, Utah, in the 2023 Bulldog Classic\u2019s boys\u2019 third-place game.<\/p>\n

Having buried a clutch three-pointer early in the second OT, putting the Buckaroos up 49-44, MHS sophomore Jackson Keyes unluckily fouled out trying to \u2013 and, from one visual angle, did \u2013 roof Gardner\u2019s desperate close-range shot, and the Bulldog lefty maintained enough composure to convert one of two FTs and nab DCHS a 53-52 victory.<\/p>\n

\"Dove
Dove Creek\u2019s Sheldon Gardner (15) receives congratulations from head coach Ian MacLaren after leading the Bulldogs to a wild 53-52, double-overtime win Saturday over Monticello, Utah. (
\nJoel Priest\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Trapped
Trapped by Monticello, Utah's Mason Atwood (23) and Jackson Keyes (10), Dove Creek's Gage Buffington looks to pass while in midair Saturday. Buffington scored nine points as the Bulldogs defeated the Buckaroos 53-52 in double overtime.
\n (
\nJoel Priest\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Dove
Dove Creek's Liam Hassell (3) extends a shot while taking contact from Monticello, Utah's Traken Lee (21) Saturday. (Joel Priest\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cSheldon, what can I say? Kid\u2019s a horse, an absolute monster. \u2026 To play the kind of minutes that he did, and do the kind of things that he did down low, just speaks to his character, his strength. And it speaks to who he is as a person; just like the team, I\u2019m so proud of him,\u201d said Dove Creek head coach Ian MacLaren.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a gut-check win. The kind of win that builds character, the kind of win that launches a program to a place that we want to be,\u201d he said. \u201cThere were so many times in that game where we could have laid down, so many times we could have given in, but didn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we went scoreless \u2013 both teams \u2013 for about the first four minutes of the game, I said \u2018First one to score wins,\u2019\u201d Monticello head coach Josh Keyes said. \u201cYou know, at the end of the day \u2026 I never saw the game coming out like that! But I can\u2019t be more proud of my kids; it was one point \u2026 just who had the ball last.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCredit Dove Creek,\u201d he added. \u201cThey played really intensely as well; Gardner\u2019s just a good player.\u201d<\/p>\n

An exhausted 9-of-18 from the charity stripe, Gardner was better than good overall. Two of his game-high 27 points came via an alert, buzzer-beating put-back \u2013 senior Aiden Chadd (4 points) missed the second half of a two-FT bonus with 0:01.8 left in the third quarter \u2013 at last erasing a 22-16 halftime deficit and sending the game into the fourth knotted at 28-28.<\/p>\n

As if there hadn\u2019t been enough drama already; MHS senior Mason Atwood had beaten the first quarter buzzer with an incredible shoulder-height heave beneath Chadd\u2019s outstretched arm from just outside the Buckaroos\u2019 own three-point arc, and sophomore Kooper Nielson ended the second quarter with a straightaway trey immediately countering a Gardner three-point play. Still the Bulldogs, who\u2019d trailed 12-6 after the opening frame, put more on the table.<\/p>\n

Gardner\u2019s inside basket with 6:44 remaining in regulation gave Dove Creek (2-6 overall, 0-0 2A\/1A San Juan Basin) a 30-28 lead, but MHS senior Curtis Bunker\u2019s three-pointer with 3:09 left put the Buckaroos up 34-32. Ahead 36-32 after a Bunker bucket inside, Monticello suffered a big blow when Atwood (5 points) fouled out defending Gardner with 2:09 to go. But Dove Creek couldn\u2019t take full advantage, and after senior Gage Buffington (9 points) missed a last-ditch three-pointer over MHS junior Kaden Pehrson, the interstate affair went into bonus-ball mode tied 38-38.<\/p>\n

Despite junior Liam Hassell (10 points) fouling out with 3:42 left in the initial overtime, DCHS still had hope after Bunker\u2019s attempted buzzer-beating trey was unsuccessful \u2013 leaving the teams deadlocked at 44. Dove Creek sophomore reserve Trevan Ivie missed both free throws after Bunker (20 points, 8-14 FT) fouled out with 2:25 left in the second OT, but Bulldog sophomore Josh Kibel (3 points) made one of two with 1:16 remaining to re-tie at 50-50.<\/p>\n

Gardner and MHS junior Traken Lee (12 points) then swapped two-pointers, and MacLaren used a timeout with 28.6 seconds remaining to plan for either a much-needed win or a third overtime.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the kind of game, obviously, you want to come out on top in, but this will be something that\u2019ll help both teams down the road,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd all credit to Monticello; they gave us everything that we could handle and more. That\u2019s a quality program; Coach Keyes does a great job, and they didn\u2019t lay down either \u2013 it\u2019s called the \u2018Border War\u2019 for a reason!\u201d<\/p>\n

Dove Creek was 17-of-37 from the foul line; Monticello (2-7 overall, 0-0 UHSAA 1A Region 19) finished 11-of-22.<\/p>\n

The Bulldogs will next see action on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, when they travel to Nucla. DCHS\u2019 scheduled trip to Monticello is set for Tuesday, Jan. 23.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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