Murphy's 3-pointer sends Turlock past Buhach

TURLOCK — The shot felt good when it left Tyler Murphy’s hand.

The Turlock junior drained a 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a 51-49 win over Buhach Colony on Friday night.

“I wanted it,” Murphy said. “I knew we were trying to get the ball to Alek (Carlson), but I wanted the shot. It looked good in the air. When it went in I looked at my teammates.”

The Turlock bench exploded onto the floor as Buhach Colony called a timeout. The Thunder (7-4 Central California Conference, 15-8 overall) could only manage a half-court shot from Tyler Trammel at the buzzer that was well off the mark. It was a thrilling end to a game that had four lead changes in the final minute.

“It was your typical Turlock-Buhach Colony basketball game,” said Bulldogs coach Doug Cornfoot, whose team pulled even with BC for second place in the CCC at 7-4, 12-11.

Buhach Colony had led most of the way despite playing short-handed. Center Drew Mark (ankle) was on the bench in street clothes, and the Thunder lost Joe Marquez for most of the first half when he dislocated a finger on his left hand late in the first quarter.

Still, the Thunder took a 25-19 lead into the half behind eight points from Felix Borruel (14 points).

However, the Bulldogs’ zone helped chip down the lead to to just 30-28 heading into the fourth.

Turlock shot just three free throws in the first three quarter, but made 11 of 16 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter.

Stephen Hillyer (11 points) knocked down three big 3-pointers for the Thunder in the fourth.

Marquez returned in the second half after his finger was popped back into place and taped up. He came up big in the final minute.

Marquez (11 points) and Carlson (17 points) exchanged baskets in the final minute as the lead see-sawed back and forth.

Marquez then drove for a layup to give BC a 49-48 lead with 13 seconds left. With 6.4 seconds remaining, Turlock inbounded the ball to Dashawn Holcombe, who passed to Murphy for the open 3-pointer.

“We tried to deny Carlson No. 1 and Holcombe No. 2,” BC coach John Bliss said. “We thought they would go to the basket, needing only a two. Obviously they didn’t.”