Williamstown head coach Scott Sauro looks on during the Yellowjackets' 51-49 victory Tuesday night versus South Harrison. The win was the 400th of his career. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WILLIAMSTOWN – Wyatt Powell finished with a game-high 17 points here Tuesday night and his precision inbound pass from beside his own bench to fellow senior Tyler Keiser resulted in the game-winning bucket with 2.5 seconds remaining as the Yellowjackets survived South Harrison, 51-49, to give head coach Scott Sauro career win No. 400.

The No. 10 Class AA Yellowjackets, who started the season 2-0, snapped a two-game slide as Powell tallied 10 of his markers during a fourth quarter that started with the affair knotted at 33.

“It was basically just a down screen from me and then a back screen from Colten (Rinard) to open the block, and then take it to the rim and try to get a bucket,” admitted Keiser, who finished with seven points and watched freshman starting teammate Caleb Atkinson leave early in the first with an injury.

“It was a tough game, but I mean we came through and started playing good D and hitting buckets. We all played good. We just got to stay hard. Keep playing hard. Keep playing good offense, executing and we’ll be good.”

South Harrison, which dropped to 1-5 and was playing without sophomore pivot Joseph Fenstermacher, was led by Graham Saas’ dozen counters. Fellow starters Cooper Sanders, Andy Allen and Collin Sequin had nine points apiece while Adam Marple had eight points and seven boards before fouling out.

Williamstown's Colt Rinard (55) congratulates Tyler Keiser (23) after he made a bucket and was followed during third-quarter action of the Yellowjackets' 51-49 victory Tuesday night versus South Harrison. Keiser scored the game-winning basket with 2.5 seconds remaining. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The Hawks of head man Zak Bart, who play host at 2 p.m. Saturday to Petersburg, were outscored 17-2 on bench points with Rinard’s eight pacing the hosts.

“It was really just a simple two screen play. We were trying to have our smallest guy screen for our biggest guy,” coach Sauro said of the final play as the ‘Jackets now have to prepare for Friday’s affair at Class A No. 5 Ritchie. “We got lucky there, but Wyatt made a good pass and Colten Rinard made a good screen, and TK had a good finish. He finished that one. We missed a million of them throughout the game so it was good to see one go in from a couple feet away. Their record is deceiving.

“That’s (building an identity) really what we are trying to do. Not just with our young guys, but with the guys who are returning who are in new roles and we’re playing a lot of them. For us, we had a couple guys injured tonight. Atkinson kind of hurt his tailbone and he thinks he’s going to be OK, and Nate Frye had an ankle. We’ll hopefully get both of those guys back on Friday. They are important parts of the team. We’ll have our work cut out for us because they are really, really good. We’re just happy to get this one.”

The visitors, who trailed 12-9 after one and 22-20 at intermission, squared it at 33 with 18 seconds to go in the third on a Sanders layup. Although the ‘Jackets turned it over with 6.7 still on the clock, South Harrison was unable to get a shot off.

Powell’s take to the hole where he scored in traffic with 2:12 to go appeared to give WHS some breathing room with a 46-41 advantage, but Saas hit consecutive 3s just 17 seconds apart to give the Hawks what proved to be their final lead.

Williamstown's Wyatt Powell, who had the game-winning assist to Tyler Keiser with 2.5 seconds left in the Yellowjackets' 51-49 victory Tuesday night versus South Harrison, drains a 3 for part of his game-high 17 points as Hawk Cooper Sanders defends. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Williamstown went back ahead with 1:05 left to play following a Powell lay-in and a charity stripe toss by Rinard made it 49-47 with 33.6 remaining. However, the Hawks tied it up on a Saas layup.

Coach Sauro’s squad, which hit 5 of 20 from downtown and shot 37.8% (20 of 53), received a game-high 10 caroms from Cedric Davis as the ‘Jackets won the battle on the boards, 29-24, and didn’t allow an offensive carom.

The ‘Jackets, who managed their 12-9 edge after one thanks to a 3 by Nate Nicely with 4.5 seconds left, got a game-high three steals from Dom Strcula.

South Harrison lost the turnover battle, 20-14, and finished 19 of 37 (51.3%) from the floor.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Williamstown's Eli Houser and South Harrison's Adam Marple prepare to go after a loose ball during the Yellowjackets' 51-49 victory Tuesday night. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)