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Comets surge into state By TED BURNHAM CENTRAL POINT - It may have been luck that put the Crater boys basketball team in overtime, but the Comets seized the opportunity Thursday night, pouring it on when it counted most to defeat Klamath Union in a 63-57 overtime thriller at Crater High School. In the space of two minutes, Crater forward Andrew Norum shot 5 of 6 from the line and added a bucket to assure the Comets a place in the Class 4A state playoffs next week. With the game tied 52-52, KU's Zach Tucker just missed a layup in the last second of regulation, bringing on overtime. It was then that the Crater defense, which had played sloppily most of the night, smothered KU. The Pelicans also drew six fouls to outscore the Pelicans, 11-5, in the final three minutes, finally breaking the fourth-place tie that had forced this do-or-die showdown for the Southern Oregon Conference's final postseason berth. The Comets (15-10) host Putnam, the third-place team from the Three Rivers League, on Tuesday in the first round of the state subtournament. After Crater wing Chris Pettegrew injured his ankle and left the game two minutes into the second, Crater head coach Matt Meunier said he thought the game might be lost. Pettegrew, who scored nine points in the final quarter of Tuesday's win over North Medford, was in the hospital late Thursday night. It was not known whether his injury will prevent him from playing next week, according to Meunier. Norum, who ended with 16 points and 10 rebounds, summed up the overtime victory in two words: "Defensive intensity." "Our defense wasn't working pretty much the whole game," the junior said. "In overtime, we started working our defense." Meunier said the Comets never gave up. "Tonight we stuck together just good enough to get by," he said. Crater shot 24 of 41 from the floor, better than 55 percent, while Klamath hit just 19 of 52 for 37 percent. Crater's Derek Petersen scored 20 points while Trevor Ryan added 17. Senior guard Jeff Pisan led Klamath with 14 points while Jacob Wynn added 13. Crater led early, but after Pettegrew went down, KU built an edge in bursts, pulling ahead by five several times in the third quarter. In a raucous fourth quarter, Crater finally pulled ahead, 47-45, on a Petersen 3-pointer. Klamath answered to tie the game and went ahead, 52-51, in the last minute when Travis Baker converted a steal into a basket. Crater forward Trevor Ryan hit 1 of 2 free throws with 40 seconds left in regulation to knot it at 52-52. Daniel Gugliotta grabbed a defensive rebound with 34 seconds left, but a Comets' turnover put the ball in KU's hands with six seconds left. Pelican junior Zach Tucker contended with little Crater pressure, but his last-second layup missed, so the contest went to overtime, where the Comets prevailed. "(The season) ended too soon," KU head coach Bret Crawford said. "I have had those five seniors since they were freshmen. It's hard to let go. "Crater did a great job tonight. Matt Meunier has done a great job with those guys." Meunier said he is concerned about Pettegrew and Norum, who also injured his ankle Thursday, though not severely. "We need to be healthy," Meunier said. "I would be happy if we can be healthy Tuesday. "We are really excited to be playing a home game. I look at it as we are extending our season, one game at a time." KLAMATH UNION (57) - Tucker 7, Garcia 2, Baker 8, Pisan 14, Wynn 13, Sargent 0, Mortenson 10, Caleb 3. Totals: 19 15-27 57. CRATER (63) - Goff 3, Zimmerman 0, Petersen 20, Norum 16, Goode 2, Gugliotta 2, Ryan 17, Davis 2, Pettegrew 1. Totals: 24 11-16 63. Klamath Union ............................. 9 17 17 9 5 - 57 Crater ..................................... 13 11 12 16 11 - 63 3-point goals - Klamath Union 4 (Tucker 1, Baker 2, Pisan 1). Crater 4 (Goff 1, Petersen 3). Technical - Ryan. Fouled out - none. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.