The Crusaders got there in the first half Friday night, an incredible display of shooting 3-pointers when Ben Cooper hit no less than five of them --- in the first quarter. The Crusaders were a scintillating 10-of-16 beyond the arc in the first half as they built a 43-24 halftime against the Rolla Bulldogs in the championship game of the Class 4 District 11 Tournament.

And it still wasn't enough, because the zone of Rolla's Josh Pritchett's was even better.

The 6-3 senior exploded for 41 points --- 17 of those coming in the fourth quarter --- and Alec Buhr hit a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left as the Bulldogs overcame a 19-point deficit to pull out a stunning 63-60 win over the Crusaders.

Playing before an overflow crowd at Rolla High School, the Bulldogs (23-4) jumped out to a 6-0 lead, before Cooper banged home a 3-pointer to put the Crusaders (18-8) on the board.

This would be a theme. The 6-1 junior was 5-of-6 on 3-pointers and scored all of Helias' points as the Crusaders took a 16-13 lead after one quarter.

They say you can't win a game in the first half, but you can certainly lose it. On this night, both were true --- almost.

Because in the second quarter, it appeared the game was won.

After Cooper, who finished with 21 points, scored all of Helias' points in the first quarter, no less than six players scored in the second. And again, the damage was done from beyond the arc --- the Crusaders looked like a Golden State Warriors tribute band --- as junior Nick Brandt hit three of Helias' five long balls in the frame as they outscored Rolla 27-11 to blow open the 19-point halftime lead.

The Bulldogs got back within 12 midway through the third quarter and they had the ball. But a steal and score by Marcus Anthony pushed the lead back to 14 --- instead of seeing it drop to 10 or even nine points --- and that secured the lead for the time being.

Helias still led 53-38 entering the fourth, which you'd think would be enough.

It wasn't.

Pritchett, who'd already scored 24 points, took his game to an even higher level. After Rolla had cut the lead to nine, he hit consecutive 3's to pull the Bulldogs within three at 58-55 with 3:24 left.

The next big moment came less than a minute later, when Helias senior Nathan Bax fouled out at the 2:29 mark. Helias was also whistled for a technical foul on the play, and Pritchett hit three of the four free throws to pull Rolla even at 58-58.

The Bulldogs also got the ball after the technical and took an improbable 60-58 lead on a score by Pritchett.

Helias senior Landon Harrison, who finished a brilliant career on this sour note, hit two free throws with 1:41 left to tie it 60-60. Rolla then held the ball until the closing seconds --- and didn't take a timeout as it did --- before Buhr nailed the game-winning 3 with 4 seconds left.

After a Helias timeout, the final shot by Harrison, who finished with 10 points, bounced off the back iron.

The improbable --- if not impossible --- had happened. Wow!

And after the amazing 10-of-16 performance on 3-pointers in the first half, Helias was only 2-of-10 after the break.

This was a doubly-sad night for high school sports fans in the Jefferson City area, as this was the last broadcast in the 21-year radio career of Tom Kremer. His partner, Hall of Famer Kevin Kelly, normally signs off to the end the broadcast.

This time, Kelly gave the honor to Kremer, who choked back tears as he did.

What a night.

Rolla overcomes 19-point deficit
to stun Helias in district finals