Sturdivan’s two buzzer-beaters get national attention (with video)

WOODLAND — When Ryan Sturdivan and his Woodland teammates arrived at the Kelso High School gym Monday, they were prepared for a nonleague basketball game.

They didn’t expect to be on ESPN’s SportsCenter within 24 hours.

Sturdivan made not one but two half-court buzzer-beaters in Monday’s game. The second gave Woodland a 49-47 win.

Tuesday, the halls of Woodland High School were buzzing as was the Internet, where highlights of Sturdivan’s shot were spreading.

Athletic director Paul Huddleston gathered footage of both shots, edited it into a 25-second clip and sent it to ESPN.

That highlight led off the 4 p.m. broadcast and was No. 1 on SportsCenter’s nightly Top 10 plays.

The shot sparked a two-minute discussion on SportsCenter about its improbability. An ESPN Sport Science correspondent, using half-court shot statistics from NBA games, pegged the probability of making two buzzer-beaters at 1-in-2,500. Those odds are about the same as making a hole-in-one in golf.

“Most guys dream about hitting one,” Woodland coach Jason Buffum said. “Two in one game? That’s miraculous.”

Lightning struck first at the end of the third quarter. Sturdivan received the inbounds pass, took three dribbles and heaved a half-court shot that never touched the rim. It pulled Woodland within 34-31.

Trailing 47-46, Woodland had a shot to win inside the final 10 seconds. But the Beavers had a turnover and were forced to foul with 2.7 seconds left.

Kelso missed the front end of the one-and-one. Woodland grabbed the rebound and called a timeout with 1.6 seconds left.

“I joked with him coming out of the timeout ‘you’ve already hit one, why not two?'” Buffum said.

Standing a full court away from the basket, Woodland’s Troy Flanagan threw an overhand pass to Sturdivan. The senior guard caught the pass near the sideline about five feet behind the halfcourt stripe.

In one motion, Sturdivan spun and launched a two-handed heave from his chest.

“It looked on line, but I was thinking ‘no way,’ Sturdivan said after practice Tuesday. “When I saw it getting really close to the rim, I said ‘it’s going in.’ Once I made it I was just in shock. I finally got excited about five seconds after.”

Sturdivan, who finished with a game-high 24 points, said the reaction of friends, students and staff has been unlike anything he could imagine.

“I’ve been getting congratulations constantly all day,” he said. “I’m just blessed to have friends and family saying ‘nice job.'”

Sturdivan isn’t your average multi-sport athlete. He is also one of Southwest Washington’s best golfers, having tied for third in the Class 1A state tournament last spring.

Buffum said a golfer’s mentality helps on the basketball court.

“Golf is such a mentally tough sport,” Buffum said. “When the going gets tough, I have confidence in him to make plays. Short putts are like free throws, it’s just repetition. When the game is coming down to the end, I want someone whose demeanor is not going to change.”

As Tuesday’s practice ended, Woodland (5-0, 1-0) turned its sights toward Wednesday’s 2A Greater St. Helens League game against perennial league power Mark Morris.

But not before everyone lined up to shoot half-court shots using about every odd technique imaginable. It’s a ritual Buffum installed when he became the coach before the 2013 season.

“It’s a fun way to relax a bit before the end of practice,” Buffum said. “I guess that practice really paid off.”