Originally published Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Boys Prep Basketball | KingCo 4A: Garfield edges Issaquah at buzzer, 77-75

Jaron Cox scored on a rebound basket at the buzzer to cap a comeback by Garfield in a 77-75 KingCo 4A boys basketball win over Issaquah.

By Tom Wyrwich

Seattle Times staff reporter

PREV of NEXT

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Garfield players celebrate after Jaron Cox scored at the buzzer to give the Bulldogs a comeback victory over Issaquah on Friday night at Garfield.

ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Issaquah defender Christian Blanks gets in Connor McClain's face.

Scores & stats

Schedule/results

Standings

Leaders

Teams

Rankings

More sports: Golf | Tennis | Swimming | Cross-country

Jaron Cox was walking up and down the sideline when Garfield called time out with 11.6 seconds left, and coach Ed Haskins turned to him.

"Are you ready?" Haskins asked.

Cox tested his leg one more time to make sure the cramps had left, and then he nodded.

"OK," Haskins said. "Then go get the freshman."

Cox went in; freshman Pierre Wright came out. And with just a second left, a rebound dropped into Cox's hand and he had no choice but to immediately put it up. He never heard the buzzer, but felt fans mobbing him on the floor and knew his shot was good, giving the second-ranked Bulldogs a 77-75 win at home against Issaquah on Friday night.

"I knew it was going in," Cox said.

Amid the celebration was Tony Wroten, the talented Garfield sophomore whom the Seattle School District removed from school last Friday after a residency investigation. In their first game of the season, the Bulldogs showed they can still compete for the KingCo 4A championship without Wroten, one of the country's top prospects.

"We're a good team without Tony, but we are a great team with Tony," Haskins said. "You cannot make up for a Tony Wroten."

With Wroten on the end of the bench, Issaquah took a 26-24 lead midway through the second quarter. Behind Robby Primrose's 20 points, the Eagles (0-1) led by as many as 13.

But Garfield, behind a fierce press, first tied it at 65 early in the fourth, and the teams went back and forth until Cox took a feed from DeAndre Taylor and made a layin with 1:34 left to tie it at 75. Cox scored all 17 of his points in the second half.

"They're going to be tough all the way through, with or without Tony Wroten," Issaquah coach Jeff Altchech said.

The Bulldogs called the final play for Glenn Brooks, whose three-pointer missed and caromed to Cox for the winner.