Augmon’s ‘special’ play saves Coronado boys
With 3.1 seconds to play and the game tied at 69 Wednesday, Coronado’s boys basketball team ran a play called “special.”
The outcome certainly was for the Cougars.
Justice Augmon hit a layup as time expired to give host Coronado a 71-69 win over Basic in a pivotal Southeast League game.
“It was drawn up for that specific moment,” Augmon said. “We executed it real good, and I was able to finish.”
Augmon had tied the game with a drive with nine seconds left. Basic’s Devonte Boyd pushed the ball the other way and went to the floor after contact near the free-throw line. After a discussion between officials, Boyd was called for a charge, giving Coronado one final shot.
The Cougars got the ball to Jordan Willis, who flipped it to a streaking Augmon near half court. Augmon drove straight to the basket, and his layup just beat the buzzer.
“It’s a set play, get it and let Justice go,” Coronado coach Jeff Kaufman said, noting the play usually takes four seconds in practice. “And as soon as he caught it, I knew that he was going to score. You could see in his eyes he was going to the hole.”
Augmon said he didn’t consider shooting a jumper. “Going to the basket is my strongest attribute,” he said.
Coronado (9-15, 4-5) led by 19 in the third quarter before Basic (14-7, 4-5) came storming back. The Wolves went up 67-65 on a follow basket by Boyd with 1:16 to play. With Basic leading 69-66, the
Wolves missed the front end of two one-and-one chances in the final 41 seconds.
Augmon led the Cougars with 24 points and six rebounds. Charlie Teixeira added 17 points, and Ricardo Robinson had 16 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Cougars.
Boyd paced Basic with 20 points and seven rebounds. Ryan Diggs had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Isaiah Villaros had 11 points and 13 boards for the Wolves.
The win put the Cougars in a three-way tie with Basic and Liberty for third place in the Southeast League with one game to play. The top four teams advance to the playoffs.
