Elijah McCoin makes Buzzer Beater for Northwest Vikings District Win over Rossview Hawks

Clarksville, TN – District 10-AAA boys basketball competition began with a bang Tuesday night at Northwest High School. As the last second ran off the clock, Vikings point guard Elijah McCoin launched a shot with one foot past the half court line that banked off the glass and through the net for the win. The Vikings defeated the Hawks 47-46.

“Before the last shot, I told them we have got to believe,” Vikings head coach Vincent Turner said during his last time out after Rossview’s Javon Vaughn made a short jumper to give the Hawks a 46-44 lead, leaving only 3.2 seconds on the clock.

“That is actually a play that we practice in practice. We run situations. We set it up and had confidence in it,“ coach Turner said. “The worse thing that could happen is that hey, we go out and we lost but we played hard. But it could go in. Sometimes you’re the hero, sometimes you’re the goat. Tonight its the hero.”

The Vikings were able to inbound the ball and get it to McCoin, who had made only one of several three-point attempts in the game before. McCoin made it just past half court before he was forced to launch the long, high arcing shot that kissed center glass and won the game.

McCoin led the Vikings with 12 points. He was one of eight different Vikings to score in the game. The Vikings had to come back from a slow first quarter for a chance to win in the end.

“It was the first district home game. The guys came out, they were excited,” coach Turner said. “I could tell they wanted it. Once that energy wore off, we got down to playing basketball. So If we could keep it close, we would stand a chance.”

The Vikings were outscored 11-4 in the first quarter. However, they found their offense as the Hawks went ice cold in the second. At halftime the Vikings led 16-13

Both teams came out shooting in the second half. The Vikings dominated the boards, producing a lot of second-shot opportunities. They out-rebounded the Hawks 32-to-16.

But three-pointers and free throws kept the Hawks in the game. The Hawks made 10-of 14 from the free throw line. Vaughn and Austin Jackson combined to make four key 3-pointers in the second half for the Hawks. Vaughn led all scorers with 17 points.

The two teams battled to a 42-42 tie with 1:02 left in the game. After exchanging baskets, it looked as if Vaughn done enough for the Hawks to win the game with his clutch shot at the three second mark. But the Vikings had a plan they believed in and that belief paid off.

“Rossview is a disciplined team,“ coach Turner said. “They are disciplined. They are hard nosed. They are going to be fundamentally sound and we can’t get flustered. We had to stick to the game plan.”

Box Score

Northwest 47, Rossview 46

Northwest
Elijah McCoin 12, JaRyan Young 10, Dezman Stacker 10, Maurice Wright 6, Mayrel Rudolph 2, Marquel McCottry 2, Markel Kea 2, Isaiah McCoin 1

Rossview
Javon Vaughn 17, Cannon Campbell 14, Austin Jackson 6, Jay Glenn 3, Logan Miller 2, Jackson Parker 2, Clayton Spence 2.