The junior's 3- pointer with 14 seconds left sent the game into overtime where he scored eight of his team-high 20 points. Bisceglia hit six straight free throws at the end as the Panthers held on to beat Knoxville Catholic 65-63.
It was just under two weeks ago that Bisceglia's buzzer-beater gave the Panthers a one-point win over county rival Claiborne High.
“A lot of people don't know about Clay, but he's been so big for us this year taking care of the ball,” coach Sherrill King said. “He hit a big three to tie it and made the free thows for us down the stretch.”
Seniors Tyler Brim and A.J. Fultz helped the Panthers grab a quick lead in the overtime period. The Fighting Irish controlled the tip but missed their first shot. Fultz, playing with four fouls, grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Brim. Brim drove inside and laid the ball in to give the Panthers a 53-51 lead.
After another Catholic miss, junior Jonathan Arnold came away with the rebound for Cumberland Gap. On this possession Brim drove the baseline and dished to Bisceglia who's short jumper gave the Panthers a four point lead, 55-51 with 2:44 to go.
Brim fouled out of the game going for a steal on the ensuing inbounds play. Catholic guard Ryan Walden made the first free throw, but missed the second and again Fultz grabbed the rebound.
After a :20 timeout, Arnold found Joey McFall under the basket for a lay-up on the in-bounds play and the Panthers led 57-52 with just over two minutes to play.
Knoxville Catholic forward John Oberding made two free throws to cut the lead to three. But Fultz answered with a six-foot bank shot on the other end to put Cumberland Gap up 59-54 with 1:30 remaining.
Walden drove inside for a lay-up to make it a three-point game and Cumberland Gap threw the ball away on their in-bounds play. But Catholic point guard Matt Partin, who led all scorers with 23 points, and Walden both missed 3-point attempts and Fultz came away with the rebound.
After the teams traded turnovers, Partin again misfired from long range. McFall grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Bisceglia, who was fouled. He made both free throws to put the Panthers up 61-56 with 28 seconds to play.
Walden cut the lead to two with a 3-pointer, but Bisceglia again made two free throws and Cumberland Gap led 63-59 with 19.4 seconds to play.
With the Panthers guarding the three-point line, Partin drove inside for a quick layup to again cut the lead to two. But Bisceglia made sure there would be no comeback as he again hit two free throws to make the lead four, 65-61 with 10.9 second to play.
Catholic's Paul Hook made a lay-up with five seconds left to complete the scoring.
“We didn't allow them to have many second shots and we hit our free thows. Those were the keys late in the game,” King said.
Cumberland Gap held the Fighting Irish without a field goal in the second period and out-scored them 15-3 to open up a ten point half-time lead. The momentum swung after Oberding was called for an intentional foul after setting a hard pick on Chris Warren. Warren's head hit the floor hard and he had to leave the game.
Arnold scored seven of his ten points in the quarter and Warren returned and hit a 3 as the Panthers led 27-17 at the half.
The Irish scored seven quick points to start the third quarter and get right back in the game. Parton made a basket, had an assist to forward Harrison Smith, then converted a three-point play after a steal.
“He's a heck of a player - really quick,” King said of the Catholic point guard. “We got sloppy at the start of the third quarter. We weren't being patient with the ball and they made us pay for it.”
From that point, neither team led by more than three points until overtime.
Fultz entered the fourth quarter with only three points - the result of foul trouble and effective defense by KC's Matt Crawford and Smith, who has signed to play football for the University of Tennessee. But Fultz asserted himself in down the stretch, putting up six points and key rebounds as the Panthers kept pace in a delibrate fourth period.
“A.J. finally started to play with us. He really came alive in the fourth quarter and overtime,” King said. “They were doing a good job of helping on defense and keeping our guards from getting penetration in the half-court.”
The Panthers (15-4) completed a 7-0 homestand following the Christmas break. Tuesday's win avenges a 46-37 loss at Knoxville Catholic on Nov. 29.
The Fighting Irish (15-3) came in to the game ranked 8th in the state AA Associated Press poll.
“This is as big a win as we've had as far as beating a ranked team,” King said. “Now we've got to get ready for a big district game on Friday at Pigeon Forge. I'm sure they'd like nothing better than to knock us off.”
- - -
Knoxville Cath. 14 3 19 15 12 - 63
Cumberland Gap 12 15 8 16 14 - 65
KNOXVILLE CATHOLIC: Matt Parton 23, Ryan Walden 10, Harrison Smith 10, Paul Hook 8, Mark Oberding 5, Matt Crawford 4, Adam Ponzurick 3.
CUMBERLAND GAP: Clay Bisceglia 20, A.J. Fultz 11, Johnathan Arnold 10, Tyler Brim 7, Joey McFall 6, Chris Warren 5, Adam Nelson 5, Taylor Lowe 1.
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