Andres Sanchez's Buzzer Beater Allows Northeast to Upset Clearwater

After Northeast knocked Boca Ciega out of district play, Vikings forward Andres Sanchez said it was the biggest upset of his high school days.

He and the Vikings trumped that game in the span of a week.

Sanchez grabbed an offensive rebound and swished a shot at the buzzer Thursday to beat Clearwater 65-64 in a Class 5A region quarterfinal game.

"This is definitely the biggest game of my high school career," Sanchez said. 

Sanchez wasn't using hyperbole. He literally carried the Vikings on his back. He scored 35 of the Vikings 65 points, owned the backboards and played the game's final 3:39 with four fouls.

"He killed us," a distraught Clearwater coach Allen Carden said. "We told the players we had to hold Sanchez to 13 and he scores 35. He killed us on rebounds.

"All we needed was one box out. That's all we needed. We didn't box out Sanchez on the final play and he killed us."

After a shot from just a few feet out on the left side fell short, Sanchez came flying through the air and the lane from his right, grabbed the ball and almost in one motion turned and scored. Sanchez never set up with his feet or took aim at the basket as he knew he did not have the luxury of time to do so. 

"The rebound fell right into my hands," Sanchez said of his game-winning play. "I knew there was minimal time left so I turned and let it go."

Swish. Ballgame. Upset. Bedlam.

Seemingly the entire Northeast bleacher section, following the Vikings team, chased down Sanchez at midcourt to bury him with a gangtackle in celebration as students and players alike celebrated deliriously.

With the win, the Vikings will travel to Gibbs Tuesday in a region semifinal showdown.

Just moments earlier, Clearwater seemed to have set the trap for Northeast and the Vikings, with a shallow bench at best, walked right into it. Augustine Sanchez fouled out. Andres Sanchez had four fouls. Adam Barker had four fouls. 

The Vikings appeared gassed. Clearwater was running in reserves at every dead ball and had a 10-point lead at 63-53 with 2:21 left.

Patrick Mitchell's three-point bucket with 1:12 gave the Vikings hope to pull within 63-61. Clearwater then tried to drain the clock but couldn't;t convert. Michael Smith's own rebound tied the game at 63-63 setting up Sanchez's heroics.

"I thought of being down by 16 against Boca Ciega but I didn't say anything," Sanchez said about the late double-digit deficit, which gave him confidence the Vikings could rally.