Keaton leads Pitman past Buhach Colony

ATWATER -- Ryan Keaton has been trying to work himself out of a shooting funk. The Pitman senior has been taking extra shots before school and after practice.

The slump appears to be over.

Keaton came up big for the Pride on Friday night, scoring 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half as Pitman came back late to defeat Buhach Colony 54-49 in a key Central California Conference matchup.

Keaton's biggest play of the game came with the Pride (6-3 CCC, 14-7 overall) trailing by two points late in the fourth quarter. Keaton drove to the basket in transition and went up over Buhach Colony's Tyler Trammel.

The ball went in the basket, but the referee originally called a charge on Keaton, which sent Pitman coach Harvey Marable running up the stands.

After the two officials met, the call was changed to a block. The basket counted and Keaton made the extra free throw to give the Pride a 50-49 lead with 1:24 left in the game.

"I ran far enough up the stands," Marable said. "That was a release of energy. Luckily when I came back down the correct call was made."

Keaton agreed.

"When I jumped, he moved to the side and dipped early," Keaton said. "I didn't think it was a charge."

The Thunder (6-3, 14-7) had three chances to take the lead.

"We didn't make our shots," BC coach John Bliss said. "We missed seven or eight straight shots in the fourth quarter."