Brae Ivey thought about doing it earlier, but it was not the right time.
When the time was right, the time on the clock showed just six seconds remaining.
With his Edison team down by one point, Ivey took the basketball from the official to inbounds it from the baseline, just a few feet to the side of the basket.
Los Alamitos’ Jack Kaub, in the key, momentarily turned his back to Ivey. Ivey tossed the ball off of Kaub’s back, grabbed the ball and went up for a 2-foot jump hook in the key. Ivey missed but was fouled, went to the free-throw line and made two free throws to give No. 8 Edison a 55-54 win over No. 7 Los Alamitos in a Sunset League game at Edison High.
The teams were tied for first place going into the game. Edison takes sole possession with its 5-0 league record. Los Alamitos, which had its winning streak stopped at 14 games, is 4-1.
Ivey, a 6-foot-2 senior guard who finished with 14 points, said he never has tried that play in a game, but he has seen others attempt it.
“I’ve seen it a couple of times,” he said. “Most times, it doesn’t work out good for the person who does it.”
There was a moment in the first half where Ivey thought he had a chance to try it, but he didn’t commit.
Then a better opportunity came up, and at a critical time. The plan was to get the ball to Jake Haar, who scored a team-high 18 points, but Ivey made that quick decision.
“I just saw his back turned to the basket,” Ivey said, “and I thought I should just go for it, and I went for it.”
Edison coach Rich Boyce’s reaction: “When the ball was coming right to him I thought, ‘Please make the layup.’”
Boyce was happy to see Ivey go the free-throw line with five seconds remaining.
“At the end of the game, I want to see him on the line,” Boyce said. “He has that supreme confidence that he can do anything.”
Los Alamitos’ Eyassu Worku did just about anything he wanted. Worku, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, scored 25 points. He scored nine in the fourth quarter, including a difficult, driving scoop shot that put the Griffins ahead, 54-53, with 39 seconds remaining.
After Ivey’s second made free throw, Worku got the ball just outside of the 3-point line, but Edison’s A.J. Garrity and Garrett White surrounded him there. Worku had no chance at getting off a shot, and his pass to a teammate did not reach its destination before the final buzzer.
Edison (17-5 overall) led for most of the game, with its largest advantage 12 points in the second quarter. Los Alamitos (18-2) tied the score in the third quarter, 33-33, but would not take the lead until late in the fourth.
In the Orange League:
Savanna 93, Anaheim 62: Michael Enis scored 22 points and Kyle Davis scored 21 for the visitingRebels (17-7, 5-0).
In the Orange Coast League:
Godinez 63, Laguna Beach 54: UCI-signee Brandon Smith scored 35 points for the league-leading Grizzlies (18-4, 5-0) at Laguna Beach.
In the Trinity League:
No. 1 Mater Dei 70, JSerra 47: Rex Pflueger scored 15 points and La’vette Parker and Bailey Stout added 14 and 11 points, respectively, for the visiting Monarchs (18-3, 6-0).
No. 2 Orange Lutheran 68, Servite 54: Keisean Lucier-South scored 19 points and C.J. Hankins added 15 for the visiting Lancers (18-3, 5-1).
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
