Granite Bay outlasts Whitney in triple OT

What began as a fast-paced clash between Sierra Foothill League rivals turned into a war of attrition Wednesday night, as Granite Bay and Whitney pushed each other through three overtime periods before a winner emerged. With every possession, turnover, foul and substitution swinging the balance, the Grizzlies had just enough left to outlast Whitney 81-72 on the road. Granite Bay coach Jason Sitterud said the Grizzlies' resilience was on full display in a game that demanded repeated responses. Senior guard Keegan Ladines was the catalyst late, pouring in 14 of his 22 points across the overtime periods. He tied the score with a free throw at the end of the first overtime, buried a 3-pointer to trim the margin to two in the second and iced the game with six of Granite Bay's 12 points in the third OT. Sitterud said while Ladines was huge down the stretch, his performance went beyond scoring. "He did a great job more defensively," Sitterud said. "He picked it up. And really, all the guys did everything we could. I hate to give the game away, but we just kept fighting and fighting and fighting. That was really cool. It was probably the whole team." Granite Bay led for much of the night but couldn't put away the game in regulation. After building a second-quarter cushion, the Grizzlies gave it back by allowing 9-2 and 11-0 runs that helped Whitney seize a halftime lead. Granite Bay regrouped and quickly reclaimed control in the second half but still struggled to create enough separation to put away the Wildcats. That inability proved costly late. Granite Bay led by four with under 15 seconds remaining, but a quick Whitney basket cut the margin to two. On the ensuing inbound, Whitney's Carson Floyd jumped the passing lane and finished through contact at the buzzer, forcing overtime. While Whitney played from behind for most of regulation, it led for the majority of the first two overtime periods, but the Grizzlies erased two-score deficits in the final two minutes both times. In the third overtime, Granite Bay stormed out to a two-possession lead early and never looked back. Granite Bay's collective effort showed throughout the night. Camden Wright, Wyatt Headley, Myles Mike and Solomon Hillman each stepped into the spotlight during crunch time, a reflection of a group that has grown comfortable leaning on one another. "They've grown, they're good friends, and they just want to win for each other," Sitterud said. "That's kind of fun." Sitterud also emphasized the significance of the road win in the SFL, where every night brings a physical, high-stakes test. Against a Whitney team Granite Bay figures to be battling with throughout league play, the victory carried added weight. "It's monstrous," Sitterud said. "It's just great. That's why we do it every night. It's fun. I'll embrace the challenge." Whitney (14-6 overal, 3-3 SFL) will look to bounce back Friday night against rival Rocklin in the Quarry Classic, while the Grizzlies (9-11, 3-3 SFL) will face Del Oro.