CLAYTON — Cascade Cadets junior Eric Bobadilla could not have picked a better moment to make his second 3-pointer of the year.
Trailing the Edgewood Mustangs 57-55 with under 15 seconds remaining, Cascade’s Jeffrey Hopper was attempting to drive but kicked it to Bobadilla on the right wing who ripped the bottom of the net for the go-ahead 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds remaining.
“Our guards are supposed to stay outside the 3-point line and Jeffrey had two guys on him and kicked it being a good teammate and Bobadilla knocked it down,” Cascade coach Chris DuBois said.
The Mustangs ran down the court for a potentially game-winning shot but it clanked off the back of the rim and the Cadets (14-6) pulled off the dramatic come-from-behind 58-57 victory over the Class 3A Mustangs (6-14).
On a night where Cascade celebrated its seniors, it was Bobadilla playing hero with his timely three.
“Oh, I couldn’t believe it at first, I just couldn’t believe it,” he said grinning.
As the ball floated from Hopper to Bobadilla, he had his mind set on one thing.
“I knew there wasn’t very much time left on the clock so I knew I had to throw something up,” said Bobadilla, who scored nine points. “He (Hopper) trusted me and I pulled through for us and the seniors.”
Hopper scored a game-high 19 points, Arthur added 15 and J.T. Thomas scored all 11 of his points in the first half after going down with a knee injury in the second quarter.
After halftime, the Cadets looked flat without their point guard Thomas. Cascade did not score a field goal until a minute remaining in the third period on a Hopper layup. Edgewood outscored Cascade 10-5 in the quarter showing how Thomas’ injury changed the Cadets.
“We are so used to playing with him that we had to adjust to it,” DuBois said. “Their pressure got to us and we turned the ball over.”
The Cadets trailed 44-35 near the start of the fourth quarter but roared to within three as Alex Arthur scored the Cadets’ first eight points of the period, including back-to-back 3-pointers. Hopper then had his hands on every Cascade field goal in the final three minutes of the game. The 6-foot-3 senior scored two buckets, found Jake Canaday for a layup with 28.3 remaining to bring the Cadets within one and then his game-winning assist to Bobadilla.
The final three minutes featured a battle at the free throw line as Cascade went 6-for-6 and Edgewood went 9-for-14 down the stretch.
After Thomas’ injury and Arthur fouling out with around two minutes remaining, Cascade kept their heads in the game.
“It’s one of those things where other guys stepped up tonight,” DuBois said. “We had the heart and will to keep fighting back and that helped us get the win.”
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and sends the Cadets into the postseason with some momentum.
“The end of our schedule we play three 3A schools and that helps us prepare for sectionals,” DuBois said. “We don’t have any easy games and as a coach you don’t want that. It was nice to get a win over one of these 3A schools.”
Cascade received a first-round bye and faces the winner of South Putnam and Cloverdale at 6 p.m. Friday, March 2, at South Putnam.
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