Russell Conwell for River Radio Sports Central

SESSER — Nick King sank a free throw with no time remaining on the clock to give Goreville a 40-39 win over Waltonville in the championship game of the 44th Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament.

The Spartans and Blackcats were meeting for the tournament title for the third straight year, and it was a dandy.

Tied at 39 in the final seconds, King rebounded a Waltonville miss and was fouled attempting a three-quarter court heave at the buzzer–meaning three free throws to make one. After missing the first, King swished the second setting off a celebration by the Blackcats.

Goreville led by as many as seven in the first half before taking a 22-18 lead into intermission. Waltonville closed the third quarter and opened the fourth on a 10-0 run to take a 34-26 lead.

The Blackcats answered with 10 straight to regain the lead. Tied at 36, Peterson scored three straight for a 39-36 lead, but Zech Green erased that with a three-pointer with less than 30 seconds to play setting up the last second dramatics.

Peterson led all scorers with 18 points. Jagger Mayville added 13 for the Spartans. No Blackcats reached double figures with King and Green leading the way with nine points apiece.

With the win Goreville improves to 11-1 on the season, while Waltonville falls to 11-2.

Full game highlights are here.

Green and King along with Lawson Land made the All-Tournament team from Goreville, while Peterson and Witten Devor were named from Waltonville. Other members include New Athens’ Cole Dachsteiner, Du Quoin’s Andrew Jones and Jeremiah Jones (Du Quoin), Altamont’s Cooper McManaway and Kade Milleville, Red Bud’s Luke Quintin, and Sesser-Valier’s Kyan Short.