Bunker mentality helps rescue Red Mountain over Bartlett

With just less than six minutes to play it  was the worst of times for Red Mountain basketball player  Ryan Bunker. With the clock reading 0:00 in regulation it was at least better times for Bunker.

Bunker had the opportunity many players get to soar for a thunderous dunk, something that could augment momentum. And at the time he attempted it, tie Mountain Lions game with Barttett High (Anchorage, Alaska).

But as often happens in that scenario the dunk goes awry. Bunker had exactly that happen and received a sure and quick exit from the game and not-so-mild dressing down from coach Greg Sessions.

As fate would have it, Bunker got a the chance to redeem himself.  Making a 2-pointer and drawing a charge in the final two minutes helped tie the game at 60. Bunker, who finished with 11 points,  capped his redemptive re-entry with two 3-point baskets - the second with 2.5 seconds left -- to force overtime.

That was the momentum that spurred Red Mountain to a 74-68 victory Tuesday morning in the opening game of the 5th annual Visitmesa.com Basketball Challenge at Mesa Mountain View High School.

"I guess I should have ripped him sooner," Sessions said tongue-in-cheek after his chat with Bunker on the bench. "He came back in and made some big plays. I'm at peace with it now."

What was more alarming to Sesssions was how this game nearly got away from the 11-3 Mountain Lions. Red Mountain had its way the first half and the first six minutes of the second with Bartlett. Red Mountain led 38-20 at intermission and had a 47-29 advantage with 9:47 to play. In a matter of  3 1/2  minutes, a 27-4  Bartlett run had Red Mountain facing a 56-51 deficit.

"The good news for us is we had a lot of senior out there who have seen this before," Sessions said. "They didn't panic and regrouped. The bad news is we saw we made careless mistakes and almost paid for it."

Once in overtime, Red Mountain grabbed the lead and didn't trail again. Forward Juan Zuniga (12 points) scored on a layup off the overtime tip. After Bartlett tied it a final time at 68, center Justin Park capped a 21-point effort with his 10th field goal in the pain. Zuniga added another basket off a move in the post and Logan Larsen (14 points) added two free throws to cinch the win.

Trenton Anthony, who averaged 26 points a game in Bartlett's first two games of the season (both wins), led his team with 20 points. Treshawn King-Dunbar added 15. Anthony and King-Dunbar were a combined 4-for-18 shooting from the field in the first half.

Red Mountain helped out tournament organizers by playing a second game on Tuesday while South Sioux City, Nebraska traveled to the event. The Mountain Lions improved to 12-3 by edging McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.), 57-53. Park led Red Mountain with 18 points and Larsen contributed 15 points.