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Ogden • Inches combined with split seconds often determine the margin of success or failure in a state tournament basketball tournament.

That was certainly the case Monday in the Class 4A boys' opener as Payson's Jaden Terry hit a 3-pointer with three seconds to go to lead the Lions to a 46-45 victory over Corner Canyon.

But then Payson had to watch a beautifully designed Charger play unfold and hold its breath as a potential buzzer beater by Corner Canyon's Cameron Dougherty that looked dead on just missed.

"Our last game we played, a kid hit a three-quarter shot on us and it really changed the momentum," said Payson coach Dan Lunt. "I know that any shot that leaves a kid's hands has a chance to go in. So it was 'no, no, no' and fortunately it didn't."

Corner Canyon had taken a 45-43 lead with 11.7 seconds to play on a pair of free throws by Braxton Coon. Terry said the original plan was for Payson star Bryce Wiberg, who led all scorers with 17 points, to take the ball in for a layup.

"He found me in the corner and I knocked the shot down," said Terry, whose four field goals were all 3-pointers. "I can't explain it. I was just hoping it went in and it did."

Lunt said the Lions ran that same play two other times.

"I told Bryce to bring it up and attack the right side of the bucket," he said. "Jaden was in the corner and thank goodness he knocked the shot down."

There were, however, three seconds left. Dougherty took a beautiful pass and lined up a wide-open three that bounced inches off the rim to the left.

This was a fitting end to what was an intense and thrilling first-round game between two evenly matched teams. The score was tied six times and the lead changed hands nine times. Payson led by six points in the second quarter for the contest's largest lead.

Corner Canyon was ranked second much of the season and brought an 18-5 record into the tournament compared to 12-10 for Payson.

But, on this afternoon, the Lions were an inch or two better.

wharton@sltrib.com

Twitter @tribtomwharton —

Storylines

R Jaden Terry's 3-point shot with three seconds to play lifts Payson to a thrilling first-round upset.

• Payson's Bryce Wilberg leads all scorers with 17 points, while Terry adds 13.

• Corner Canyon, playing in its first state basketball tournament, gets 13 points from Brayden Johnson, 12 from Cameron Dougherty ­— whose 3-pointer at the buzzer just missed — and 10 from Braxton Coon.