So Shoots Buckley Into 2nd Round of Playoffs

When Billy So is sitting in a corporate board room 20 years from now and is asked to make an important decision, he won’t sweat it.

The boss might say to So, who has a 3.3 grade-point average at academically rigorous Buckley High, “You’re calling the shots.” Or, “The ball is in your court, Bill.”

William So will lean back in his chair, smile and reply: “Don’t worry, boss, I’ve come through before under pressure.”

And he’ll be telling the truth.

With eight seconds remaining and the score tied in Wednesday’s 1-A wild-card playoff game between Buckley and Montclair Prep, So dribbled the ball furiously downcourt and was faced with a decision. Pass to either Steve Beckman or Steve Kadenacy underneath the basket or pull up and take an off-balance jump shot.

So took aim and shot Buckley right into the second round of the playoffs. His jumper gave the Griffins an 80-78 win over Montclair in front of a small but vocal crowd at Buckley.

Montclair had two seconds in which to tie the game, but Todd Bowser’s seven-foot shot from the lane at the buzzer rolled around the rim and fell out.

“I got within my range and found an open area,” So said. “I didn’t feel pressured because even if I missed, the score would have been tied. Once I let go, I knew it was in.”

Buckley Coach Ron Cooper knew who he wanted to take the crucial shot.

“Billy has done that at least four times this season,” Cooper said. “I was hoping he would put it up.”

So, who averaged 18.5 points a game during the regular season, had a team-high 25 points and seven assists.

Buckley led the entire second half after overcoming an early Montclair lead. The Griffins’ fast break beat Montclair’s press repeatedly late in the game.

Bowser dominated the inside for the Mounties, bulldozing his way to 33 points on 13 of 17 field goal attempts and 7 of 9 free throws. The 6-8 Montclair senior was like a piece of heavy equipment, rolling over anything that got in his path.

Guard John Quick also played well for the Mounties, scoring 23 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter.

Buckley, which finished second in the Delphic League, improved to 20-3. Montclair, the third place representative from the Alpha League, finished at 16-7.

“We came in as heavy underdogs,” Cooper said, as ecstatic Buckley fans shook his hand and kissed his cheek. “But I figured we could do it in front of our home crowd.”

And So they did.

MONTCLAIR PREP--Light 2; Scharf 2; Bowser 33 and 13 rebounds; Quick 23; Hauser 4; DeRouen 4; Handschu 2; Honig 2; Moss 6.

BUCKLEY--So 25; Beckman 15 and 9 rebounds; Kadenacy 18 and 11 rebounds; Weisstein 6; Corbett 10; Tweedie 6.