Gresham boys basketball staves off Sandy scare during OT thriller

Published 10:45 pm Monday, February 10, 2025

Things weren’t going according to script for Gresham boys basketball during a crucial road contest.

The Gophers had roared out to a dominant, seemingly back-breaking lead against Sandy. But some missed shots, porous defense and fouls let the Pioneers erase a 22-point deficit powered by a 13-2 stretch late that tied the game with just under 1:30 left on the clock.

Rather than get rattled, the Gophers answered.

“When we got up by 20 we kind of relaxed, so we had to pick it back up,” said Gresham senior wing Khaled Artharee. “They couldn’t stop us when we did that.”

First Artharee scored a go-ahead bucket. Then after Sandy senior post Jacob Brown tied it at 59-59, the Gophers nearly got the win. A block by Sandy junior Logan Carpenter on an attempt in the paint from Gresham senior post Reece Glasper ended up as a wedgie — when the ball gets stuck between the rim and backboard. That gave Gresham possession, and after running out the clock they nearly celebrated a winner courtesy of freshman phenom Ter’Rae Foster, whose corner shot was in-and-out.

“We had to go back to what we were doing in the first quarter — get out in transition and run our plays,” Artharee said.

In overtime the two sides traded blows. Sandy took its first lead to start that extra period when Brown hit a free throw to make it 60-59. Foster would atone for that near buzzer-beater by knocking down back-to-back triples from that same corner spot. Then a pair of buckets by Brown had it back at 66-66.

Gresham retook the lead after two offensive rebounds had Artharee draw the foul and calmly score both free throws. Sandy junior forward Jasiah Cochran answered with 11.9 seconds left, making it 68-68. This time the Gophers got the win.

“The play was to go downhill because we only needed two to win,” Artharee said of his winning score. “The drop off was there and I had to finish it when it counted.”

Gresham beat Sandy 70-68 Monday evening, Feb. 10, in a Mt. Hood Conference contest that was rescheduled from last week due to the threat of snow.

“It feels great, that was a really important game for us,” Artharee said. “Our record doesn’t match how we play. We have to make our way higher up the rankings and show what we really are.”

“The goal is to make it to the Chiles Center and win a championship,” he added.

For No. 28 Gresham (7-11, 3-5 League), Foster had a team-high 18 points (six three-pointers); Artharee had 13 points; junior guard Jeremiah Pichon had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists; and junior point guard Levi Gaither added eight points.

“In the second and third quarter we got lackadaisical,” Artharee said. “We had to pick it up in the end to secure the win.”

For No. 25 Sandy (9-10, 2-6 League), Brown had a game-high 23 points with five rebounds; Carpenter had 13 points (three 3-pointers); and senior wing Brayden Sievertsen and Cochran both added 11 points.

The Gophers jumped out to an impressive start. They were up 25-10 after the first quarter, with eight different players scoring (five 3-pointers). Throughout the game the visitors had some gunners on the court — they netted a total of 14 from deep. The difference against Sandy was 10-1 in that first half, though the Pioneers would knock down five 3-pointers during the second half comeback.

It was a tough start for Brown, who had to push through adversity. He was hobbled by a twisted ankle he suffered last week that kept him out of the 83-64 loss to Clackamas. And early on he got whistled for some fouls — his second with 4:18 left in the first quarter sent him frustrated to the bench.

But he was a big part of that comeback, scoring 12 points in the second half to get them into overtime.

That 22-point gap occurred with 5 minutes left in the third, after Pichon scored back-to-back buckets. The Pioneers would answer with a 16-5 run to make it 53-42.

The two sides will next play Thursday, Feb. 27, at Gresham to conclude conference play.