SOLON — Under one minute remained on the clock in the Solon High School gym.

The bleachers were shaking as the Spartan home crowd chanted, “Defense! Defense! Defense!” Benton Community inbounded the ball up by one point, 54-55. With every step of the Benton ball handler, the crowd’s chants grew more powerful. As he neared halfcourt, the Spartan defense stiffened up and forced a pass. The ball – headed for a Bobcat – was suddenly pushed in the opposite direction down the court, with a Spartan chasing after it.

“I just had to make a play for this team,” said Solon’s Caleb Bock, “to give us a chance to win the game.”

Bock hunted the ball down the court after he tipped the pass. A pack of Bobcats tried to catch up, but Bock corralled the ball, took three dribbles, and leaped toward the basket for a contested left-handed layup that would keep the Spartan season alive.

“It’s one of the basics that people overlook,” said Bock, “I got a little fouled, but I went through it.”

The ball floated out of Bock’s left hand, touched off the backboard box, and fell through the net. The Spartans were in control of the game. A game they would win 58-55 to advance to the substate semifinals.

Solon shut down the Bobcats for the rest of the final minute as they tightened up on the defensive glass. When they grabbed the first of two deep threes by Benton, the Spartans drained just over 20 seconds off the clock. Until, finally, Maddox Kelley was sent to the free throw line. Kelley stepped up and knocked both free throws down with the eyes of every person in the gym bearing down on him.

“Just a lot of smart basketball plays down the stretch,” said Solon’s head coach Jared Galpin, “[Then] Maddox Kelley hits the two biggest free throws of his high school career.”

The Spartan’s three-point win and a Nevada (19-4) win means the two will match up Thursday, February 27, at Solon (17-5), with a chance to play in the state qualifier (Monday, March 3 at a location to be determined) on the line.