
A month ago, it took overtime for the Columbia (Lake City) boys basketball team to defeat Buchholz.
On Tuesday night at Bud Seymour Gymnasium, the visiting Tigers needed almost all of the regulation.
Senior guard Zamarion Jones hit 1-of-2 free throws with 4.7 seconds remaining to give Columbia a 51-50 win on the road.
Columbia (12-7), which had a six-game winning streak snapped last Saturday against North Marion at the Jim Haley Classic, swept the two-game series and also ended the host Bobcats’ five-game winning streak.
“It was a pretty tight game throughout,” said Buchholz coach Elliot Harris. “I never felt like we had control of it to pull it out. I knew it was going to be a last-second game, that’s just how physical they are. I knew that if we took care of the ball we would be in good shape. It came back to bite us.”
Buchholz led by as many as five points in the opening quarter and six points in the second quarter, but the Bobcats only led by two, 20-18, at the half.
The ‘Cats also had a five-point lead in the third quarter, 28-23, on a layup by sophomore Jacob Bromirski (14 points), but Columbia cut it to two, 36-34, at the end of the third quarter.
Prior to the game, Harris said the key to a win would be taking care of the ball and rebounding.
Columbia’s full-court press forced several turnovers at midcourt to help the Tigers rally from a six-point deficit with under six minutes to play in the game.
Junior Jamison McTureous, who scored a game-high 22 points, gave Buchholz a 42-36 lead with 5:46 to play.
However, the Tigers answered with a 9-0 run to take a three-point lead.
A steal and a layup by Jones (11 points) made it a two-point game, 42-40, with 4:35 remaining.
Less than 30 seconds later, sophomore Kadrian Wilson added a layup following a steal to give Columbia a 43-42 lead with 3:33 left.
The Tigers also took advantage of senior Zavian Douglas on the offensive glass, leading to a team-high 15 points. He scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.
Following a jumper in the paint by McTureous to bring Buchholz within one, 45-44, with 2:32 remaining, the Tigers went on a 5-0 run.
A putback by Douglas after a miss, another steal and bucket by Wilson (11 points), and a free throw by Douglas gave Columbia a 50-44 lead with 1:35 to play.
“It’s frustrating to coach that type of game when it’s allowed to be that physical,” Harris said. “My guys are going to have to learn how to play against that, the physicality.”
But Buchholz (11-7) didn’t quit, getting another bucket from McTureous followed by a basket by senior Peyton Warring to get within two at 50-48 with 1:09 on the clock.
Following a turnover by Columbia, McTureous scored on a layup to tie the game at 50-50 with 24 seconds left.
Jones then missed the first free throw but made the second for Columbia, which will travel to Suwannee (Live Oak) on Friday.
Buchholz will host Eastside on Friday and will look for a sweep of its own. The Bobcats defeated the Rams, 44-38, on the road on Dec. 20.
“Every game is an audition when you’re trying to make the playoffs,” Harris said. “That’s what it’s about, ultimately. We’ve got to go back to work and get stronger, be able to handle the ball against a lot of pressure, a lot of physicality. When you’re not getting the calls that you want you still have got to be able to play basketball and we’re not playing through that…this is going to help us to play through that physicality.”