Remarkable shot gives KM buzzer win

Posted: Dec. 17, 2012

Christian Laettner had 2.1 seconds to make the shot that became perhaps the most memorable moment in NCAA Tournament history. If Kettle Moraine coach Brad Bestor had gotten his way, the Lasers would have had roughly as much time to do the same thing. But 0.4 seconds would have to do.

Mike Ottusch made an incredible last-second shot, and the Lasers came away with a thrilling 72-69 win over host Oshkosh Lourdes in a non-conference battle Saturday. After Lourdes tied the game with a contested layup at 2.6 seconds to go, Bestor was awarded a timeout with 0.4 on the clock.

Dakota Perron heaved the ball from the baseline, and Ottusch elevated, grabbed the ball and, with his left hand (he's right-handed), pushed it toward the goal from 25 feet away.

"He caught it at the top of the key, and in one motion, hurls it toward the basket," Bestor said. "It was unreal. I watched the film, and the horn goes off as it's halfway to the basket. I can't believe that shot went in - it has to be perfect. You can't catch it facing the other way, you almost have to catch it sideways."

Bestor spent part of the timeout lobbying for more time on the clock after Lourdes tied the game. It was the ending of a great battle with a Division 4 team that has been to the state tournament three times since 2005, including last year. Bestor said it loosely resembled the shot by Laettner, which allowed Duke to beat Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA regional final.

The Lasers improved to 6-1 on the year, and four players hit double figures, including Paul Miller and Mitchell Oleson, who delivered 15 points apiece. Ottusch added 14 points, and Ben Varick posted 12.

Miller also switched to Lourdes' top scorer in the second half, limiting him to five points after 16 in the first half.

Friday night's Classic 8 Conference battle against Waukesha South was far less tense, with the Lasers recording a 31-9 advantage in the second quarter en route to an 84-51 win. The Lasers led at halftime, 49-18.

Oleson finished with 19 points, Ottusch 14, Miller 13 and Beck Chase 10. In procuring their fifth win of the year, the Lasers had already matched their win total from 2011-12, a mark surpassed with the win against Lourdes.

That leads into a big week, with conference front-runners Arrowhead and Mukwonago on the docket Tuesday and Friday.

"It's nice to be playing them in a meaningful early-season game, seeing where our guys are at," Bestor said of the Tuesday collision. "We can see if we can back up our record a little bit. They get after it and do what they do and shoot a lot of threes."

See video of Mike Ottusch's game winning shot against Oshkosh Lourdes, linked from YouTube atLivingLakeCountry.com.