Gockel’s buzzer-beater sinks Bluejays

JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Platte Valley junior Dylan Klamm (5) and sophomore Ezra Morriss (3) celebrate with freshman Grady Gockel after Gockel hit a buzzer-beater to beat Northeast Nodaway on Tuesday night in Ravenwood.

RAVENWOOD, Mo. — The Northeast Nodaway-Platte Valley basketball rivalry has skewed in the favor of Platte Valley in recent years with the coop never losing to their rivals to the north in boys basketball — and South Nodaway not losing to the Jays since 2019 and Northeast Nodaway not beating Jefferson since 2013.

If Tuesday’s ballgame is any indication of the future, the rivalry is in good hands moving forward as each teams’ freshman class continues to grow.

“This school hasn’t had a good competitive game against Platte Valley in a long time,” Northeast Nodaway coach Ike Werner said. “We gave it all we had tonight, so that was a little satisfying.”

And that growth seems inevitable with the work Platte Valley coach Tyler Pedersen is already witnessing from one of the leaders of that group staying after practice on Monday to break out of his shooting slump and seeing that rewarded the next night in Ravenwood.

“Grady has had his shooting woes the last couple games and wasn’t playing with a lot of confidence,” Pedersen said. “… Practice last night ended at 5 and Grady didn’t leave the gym until about 6:30. He was getting in extra shots, putting in work and that pays off.”

Gockel got to his spot in a 38-38 game, coming off a screen and rose up for jumper just before the buzzer sounded. The ball flicked through the net and for the second time in a week span, a freshman for Platte Valley was mobbed after beating the buzzer — joining Aiden McQueen, who hit a 3-pointer to beat Albany in the Stanberry Invitational.

“I don’t have words for it,” Gockel said. “It was amazing. … I saw the lane was open and I drove in, took a jump shot, and that is what I’ve been practicing all last night and this last week.”

The game started with the most experienced player on either team setting the tone. Platte Valley senior center Andy Mattson had nine points in the first quarter and the road team built up a 13-7 lead which expanded to 15-7 with the first points of the second quarter.

“It is a lot of fun,” Gockel said of the rivalry. “It is always really, really close and I’m just glad that we pulled out on top that time.”

The game appeared to be headed for another lop-sided result at that point, but just like Gockel and his determination on his jump shot, the Northeast Nodaway freshmen showed the same resolve. The Jays went on a 10-2 run with nine of those points coming from four different freshmen. Bentin Roberts started the run with a bucket and Jace Burns hit a 3-pointer while Liam Cordell and Wyatt Scadden also scored.

Mattson broke the tie with another post-up score, but one of the Jays’ most experienced players Lance Runde hit a corner 3-pointer to give Northeast Nodaway a 20-19 lead at halftime.

Mattson responded to open the second half with four-straight points and Dylan Klamm had a 3-pointer to put Platte Valley up 26-22.

Runde and Cordell came back with a 4-0 run to get back even and Cordell gave Northeast Nodaway a 31-28 lead with a 3-pointer. The Jays went into the fourth quarter with a 33-30 advantage.

Again, it was Mattson who settled things down for Platte Valley with two baskets to regain the lead.

“Teams know that we are going to go to him and we key on getting him the basketball,” Pedersen said. “He’s got to be consistent and strong every single night.”

Runde answered with a 3-pointer and the wild final sequence was on. Gockel scored to tie the game then hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to make it 38-36.

Junior Reece Gray drove baseline with 13 seconds left and was able to score through contact to tie the game. His free throw bounced out and Platte Valley collected for one last shot at avoiding overtime.

“He missed the one before that,” Werner said of Gray. “I think that it was the possession before that and I told him not to hang his head on it because that is a good look. We put him out in our 5-out spread and I told him if they have a seam with no help to go ahead and drive. He sure did it. And it was huge.”

Pedersen called the same play he did to get McQueen his shot against Albany, but this time different pieces were involved as Ezra Morriss was the decision-maker against Albany after Gockel had fouled out. This time, Gockel took the ball around the screen and saw the opening with the Bluejay defense collapsing on Mattson.

“It is actually the same set that we ran at Stanberry,” Pedersen said. “Instead of Ezra on the point, we put it in Grady’s hands. He came off that ball-screen, realized he had the pull-up jump shot and that is his bread and butter. He is pretty good at that shot and he just shot it with confidence.”

Gockel had the final six points for Platte Valley to give him 12 for the game. Mattson had a game-high 21. Klamm had three while Morriss and Mason Holaday each had two.

“I was a little cold in the beginning of the game,” Gockel said. “But everyone had faith in me. Everyone was saying I could do it. They had confidence in me. All I had to do was find confidence in myself.”

The Jays were balanced all night with Runde scoring 11, Cordell adding nine and Gray scoring seven. Roberts had six points, Burns had three and Scadden had two.

Platte Valley hosts North Nodaway on Friday for its Courtwarming. Northeast Nodaway is on the road to face Mound City.