The Piedmont Hills and Leigh boys basketball teams split a pair of game of playoff title games the past two seasons and that irked Leigh guard Kyle Morrison.
Morrison was still seeking payback for the Longhorns' loss to the Pirates in 2011, even after Leigh's Blossom Valley Athletic League-Mount Hamilton Division title-game victory in 2012.
Friday night in still another league championship game between the teams, Morrison did something about it. He made two lay-ups in the final 30.3 seconds to tie the game at the end of regulation en route to a 61-54 victory at Independence High.
The second clutch shot came on a twisting, driving shot after he scooted around a screen by Jared Williams.
"We work on that every day," said Morrison, a 5-foot-11 junior guard who scored 20 points. "I just see the high screen and go to work. We've done it a million times in practice."
Piedmont Hills (22-5) was working on a little revenge of its own after last season's setback to Leigh (20-7).
The Pirates trailed Leigh 49-45 in regulation, but scored eight consecutive points on a 3-pointer by Walter Bateast, a steal and short jumper by J.J. Espanola and three free throws by Bateast after he was fouled attempting a shot behind the arc with 37 seconds left. Suddenly, Piedmont Hills led 53-49, much to the delight of its raucous fans.
That's when Morrison got busy.
"Kyle wants the ball at the end of the game," Leigh coach Patrick Judge said. "That kind of situation doesn't faze him. He's always calm and cool."
But even after Morrison's fourth quarter heroics, nothing was decided yet.
Bateast put Piedmont ahead 54-53 with a free throw with 1:58 left in overtime, but Leigh was unstoppable after that. The Longhorns scored the final eight points of the game, including a pair of free throws by the irrepressible Morrison with 11.8 seconds left.
Moments later, Leigh was hoisting the silver championship cup.
"This just feels incredible," Morrison said. "It's revenge for when they beat us."
Guard Kimo Francisco led Leigh with 27 points, including five 3-pointers.
"Kimo played a great game," Judge said. "He really stepped up."
Bateast led Piedmont Hills with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Joseph Alvarez had 13 points and Espanola 11 for the Pirates.
Both teams now advance to the Central Coast Section playoffs.
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John Murphy can be reached at jmurphy@Prep2Prep.com.
