Watersprings gets buzzer-beater from Korban Nelson to knock off Rockland in 1A D5-6 title game
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BLACKFOOT — Wednesday night’s 1A District 5-6 Championship Game between Rockland and Watersprings could be a preview of next week’s State Championship. If it is, Boise basketball fans are in for a show.
The district title game, held at Snake River High School, had everything — a near-triple-double, physicality, incredible shotmaking, improbable defensive plays and a buzzer-beater to overcome what had been a valiant comeback.
When the dust settled, it was the Watersprings Warriors cutting down the nets, following a 51-49 victory over a Rockland Bulldogs teams that spent much of the season as the division’s top-ranked squad.
Watersprings head coach Evan Bindenagel said that he noticed early in the game how prepared his team was for the moment.
“They came out swinging,” he said. “They dealt with adversity like warriors, they were tough, resilient. … They went out and performed, just like we ask our warriors to do. So proud of these guys.”
Rockland defended the single most dominant force in 1A basketball, Titus Driver, as well as possible — especially given their lack of size. They doubled the 6-foot-10 senior on the catch, overplaying his right sight to force him toward his left shoulder. It worked for the first half, as he seemed on more than one occasion to be frustrated — in need of calming from teammates.
The great defensive gameplan slowed Driver, but did not result in a Rockland lead.
“They came out and they just took him out of the game, but we had four other guys on the court ready to go score, ready to play defense, to just get after it,” Bindenagel said.
With their paint beast off to a slow start, Korban Nelson and forward Matthew Kinoshita picked up the slack. The duo combined for 17 points in the first half as Watersprings took a 34-24 lead into the break.
Bindenagel credited Rockland head coach Shae Neal for developing a stellar defensive plan against Driver, adding that Nelson’s hot hand in the first half forced Neal to shift some focus to Warrior point guard.
Added pressure against Nelson on the perimeter meant the double-teams came to Driver a little slower in the second half, and the monster took over.
He finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds. He also upped his defensive output after halftime, sending away seven second-half shots to finish with eight blocks.
“He wasn’t the flashiest guy on the court — it came sneaky tonight, he didn’t have any crazy dunks,” Bindenagel said. “Rockland played great defense, but he’s just quietly in there working. That’s what we ask of him and he goes out and does it every night. I’m so proud of him.”
Rockland, trailing all game, scored the final five points of the third quarter, and first four points of the fourth to cut the Warrior lead to three — 42-39.
Watersprings got back-to-back buckets from Driver — around a pair of Aidan Radford free throws for Rockland — to keep the lead at five. Back and forth the two teams went down the stretch, until Rockland’s Woodrow Lowder cashed in his first made 3-pointer of the night to trim the lead to two, the lowest it had been since early in the second quarter.
On the other end, Driver was called for an over-the-back penalty sending Lowder to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game for the Bulldogs.
The junior sharpshooter, who’d struggled with his shot all night, ignored the pressure of the situation — and a raucous Watersprings crowd — to can both shots, leaving 16.5 seconds on the clock and a tied score.
Rockland, who had two fouls to give before sending Watersprings to the line, used both near midcourt, leaving 7.5 seconds on the clock.
Out of a timeout, it was Nelson, not Driver, who attacked.
“We came out and said, ‘We want the ball in the hands of our point guard, who we rely on,'” Bindenagel said. … “Late in the game, you want to put the ball in your playmaker’s hands.”
Nelson got past Radford, crossing the ball over from his left to right hand, and got to the free throw line, where his used a right-handed floater to get his shot over the help contest of Zach Permann.
The final buzzer sounded as the ball hit the ground, sending the Warriors, their bench and black-clad crowd into hysterics.
The final 7.5 seconds of tonight's 1A D5-6 championship. Rockland battled back from a double-digit deficit before Watersprings' Korbin Nelson sent everyone home.
Coach Evan Bindenagel said they put the ball in their playmaker's hand and let him take over.#IDPreps #HSbasketball pic.twitter.com/9UTXxoBNdc— Kalama Hines (@HINESight_2020) February 27, 2025
Nelson finished the game with 20 points, two rebounds, one block and one steal.
Rockland was led by Lowder, who scored 18 points to go with nine rebounds and one steal. Senior Hayden Smith, who was tasked with being the help defender on Driver, blocked the 6-foot-10 Driver twice — despite standing just 6-foot-2 — and finished the night with 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Both teams had already qualified for the State Tournament — which will be held next week in the Boise-Nampa area.
Bindenagel said he expects to receive the bracket Sunday, and discover Watersprings’ seeding, as well as when and who they will play Thursday. He said his team will need a few days of rest following the emotional win, but will be ready for the tournament regardless of seeding or matchup.
“Whatever seed we are, we’re going to battle every round,” he said. “Whatever happens, we’re going to play like warriors.”
Other results from Snake River
Before Watersprings and Rockland took the court, Grace Lutheran and Challis played in the district tournament consolation, for the district’s third and final State berth.
Challis earned that spot with a 47-36 victory.
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