In one of the biggest basketball games of the year, Wetumpka’s D’Marcus Peake sent rival Stanhope Elmore packing at the buzzer.
In an area matchup between Wetumpka and Stanhope Elmore on January 21, Peake and the Indians won, 75-73, in an overtime thriller.
After a free throw tied the game, Stanhope was set up to inbound the ball for a chance to win. Peake stood at mid-court as Wetumpka full-court pressed the Mustangs.
Stanhope got two successful passes off, but its third proved errant as Peake intercepted the pass and instantly started driving back down the court with five seconds left.
He tried to dribble to the basket, but the lane was closed off so he turned back towards the right side of the court. With two defenders on him and running out of time, he turned around and threw up a deep shot as he fell to the ground.
Lying on the floor, his shot swished perfectly through the net and the Wetumpka student section swarmed Peake and the court.
“I read the pass and reacted,” Peake said at the time. “As soon as he passed the ball, I was right there waiting on it. I came back down and had no help so I turned around and shot the ball. I looked at the clock and saw there were two seconds left so I shot it. I wasn’t confident, but I chunked it up there.”
Peake’s shot gave Wetumpka its first area win of last season, and it spoiled former Stanhope Elmore guard Dillon Barnes’ night as he ended with 37 points in the loss.
