Michael Lay put the Geraldton Buccaneers back into the top eight after netting a season-saving basket with four seconds left in yesterday’s game against Perry Lakes Hawks.

Despite scoring just two points in the final six minutes of the game, it was just enough to get the Buccs over the line 87-85.

That result came after a 100-95 win in overtime against the Stirling Senators on Saturday night.

Yesterday’s win was the Buccs’ sixth in seven games and came on the back of Lay’s man-of-the-match performance with 28 points.

The Buccs were written off after losing to East Perth Eagles at home on June 9.

They were staring down the barrel of missing the finals for a second successive year, until the weekend’s heart-stopping performances.

Yesterday Geraldton led by as much as 18 points early in the third quarter with the scores at 69-51.

Perry Lakes then scored 18 points to two to bring the margin back to just one basket.

Geraldton led by three points at the final change as both teams struggled to score in a tight final term.

Hawks’ Ben Purser scored with 21 seconds remaining before Lay returned fire with his own two points to seal victory.

That came after the Buccs kept their season alive by the skin of their teeth.

Daniel Thomas and Lay came up big when it counted for Geraldton.

They scored the last 11 points for the Buccs in overtime.

Thomas scored the last six including four late free throws to ice the game.

Thomas scored 29 points for the game while Lay netted 27 to top score for the visitors.

Sabia also had a monster game — he scored 19 points to go along with his 19 rebounds.

Scores were tight from the opening tip of Saturday night’s game.

Scores were level at quarter time before the Buccaneers held a twopoint lead at half-time.

Stirling’s Robert Huntington (21 points) and Michael Jones (20 points) tried to lift the Senators as they tied the game up again at three-quarter time.

Scores were still tied with 37 seconds remaining when captain Mat Wundenberg stepped to the free throw line.

He missed both shots, sending the game to overtime.

The Buccs face Perth Redbacks in the final game of the regular season at Activewest Stadium on Saturday night.

Article by Taylor Courtland (Geraldton Guardian)
Photo by Helen Theoharakis (Hoop Shots)