Sawyer Seymour knew the contact was coming, so he decided to let it fly. His shot nestled into the net, sending his teammates and fans into a frenzy. It felt like Seymour was going to be Warren County’s hero, but there was only one problem.
The referees ruled the shot didn’t count.
Seymour’s potential game-tying shot in the late stages of Monday’s freshman game was waved off, leading to Coffee County taking down the Pioneers 54-52.
Warren County (5-6) was trailing by two with less than 30 seconds to play when Seymour was able to find some space. The young guard found an opening and attacked, taking contact on the way. His shot went up and in with the whistle blowing, leading to most of the Pioneer faithful – including the bench – to believe Seymour would have a chance to give his team the lead on the line.
Instead, the referees deemed the foul was committed before the act of shooting, waving off the tying shot and ending any chance of a potential game-winning free throw. Instead, the Pioneers got the ball back and had to rush a tying chance.
Chase Newby’s last-second shot missed the mark, preserving Coffee County’s victory.
It was a rough way for Warren County to lose, especially in a contest it controlled most of the way. Led by Collin Panter’s team-high 17 points, the Pioneers had a sizable lead for most of the first half.
Panter scored 10 in the first half when Warren County rushed out to a 25-17 halftime advantage, but Coffee County rallied back behind Hayden Collins.
The guard caught fire in the second half, dialing in the range from deep against the Pioneers. Collins drilled five 3-pointers after the break, helping him to a game-high 27 points.
Even with Collins scorching the nets, the Pioneers were able to carry a 36-33 lead into the final period. Jeremy Jones, who finished with 11 points, opened the fourth quarter with a triple, while Panter followed with a three-point play.
Collins shook loose again though, drilling two big triples in the fourth quarter when Coffee County seized control.
The Pioneers thought they had flipped the game back in their favor in the final 10 seconds, but the waved-off basket proved to be the difference.
Newby and Nate Elrod finished with eight points apiece in the loss, while Seymour and Braylon Grayson finished with four.
The freshman Pioneers are scheduled to be back on their home court Thursday to face Franklin County. Tip-off is set for 7:15 p.m.
