The Chiefs tied the game for the last time on junior Luke Brandt's drive to the rim with 37 seconds left in their fourth loss of the season to No. 6 Concordia. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

CONCORDIA -- Certainly it couldn't happen again, but it did.

Santa Fe head boys' basketball coach Travis Zahl was "confident before the game we were going to win," his Chiefs having lost three times already this season to sixth-ranked I-70 Conference champion Concordia -- all after holding second-half leads.

But when senior Joey White sank the second of two free throws with 3.7 seconds remaining in Friday's Class 2, District 8 Tournament championship showdown at St. Paul Lutheran High, the Orioles had done it again -- beating the Chiefs, 45-44, and advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 2001. That district title had also come at the expense of Santa Fe, which had won one of three previous meetings that year.

"White's the best player on the floor whenever he steps out there," Zahl said. "You strive to play perfect defense on him, but that just doesn't happen."

White looked nothing like a world-beater early in the game, missing 14 of 16 shots -- including all six three-point attempts -- during the first half.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, opened strong -- junior Luke Brandt finishing a fast break and hitting a high-post jumper during a 9-4 run which saw Concordia commit four turnovers in its first six possessions.

"We were talking about coming out composed," Zahl said. "Our kids came out prepared to win."

Yet, the Chiefs encountered their own problems, coughing up the ball on five straight possessions near the end of the first quarter. While the Orioles' shooting woes prevented them from capitalizing fully on the miscues, Zahl realized that "we had too many mistakes that prevented us from extending the lead."

After going six minutes with only one field goal, senior Kenzie Thorp drained a pair of threes and junior Taylor Wesley drove the baseline to spread the margin to double digits. After Brandt's bomb beat the halftime buzzer, Santa Fe went into the break with a 10-point cushion.

Concordia pounded the ball inside to 6-foot-5 senior Jacob Evans for two early buckets and senior John Miller connected from outside to begin the third period. When White finally sank a trey, with 1:55 left in the frame, the O's were within three points.

Evans started the fourth quarter by posting up inside, which prompted Santa Fe to switch from man-to-man defense to zone. "That left shooters open," Zahl said.

Miller struck from the perimeter, but junior Brett Case found the mark from the elbow and Wesley made a lay-up at the end of a two-minute possession to make it 40-34 with 3:53 remaining.

"We were milking the clock," Zahl admitted. "We didn't want to get into something where they were dictating to us what we do offensively. We were trying to be patient."

Momentum, though, favored Concordia. Senior Dylan Clayton scored from the blocks and White buried a long jumper. An Evans stick-back with 2:36 to go gave the Orioles their first lead.

Wesley penetrated to put the Chiefs back in front, but two Clayton free throws and another from Evans gave Concordia a two-point edge heading into the final minute.

Brandt took it to the rack to tie the game with 37 seconds left and, following an Oriole timeout, White was fouled as he tried to drive. He missed the first and converted the second from the stripe.

Santa Fe got the ball into forecourt and called time with 1.8 seconds showing, but White deflected the inbounds pass and the Chiefs were unable to get off a potential game-winning shot.

White had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead Concordia (24-3), which will meet Sacred Heart of Sedalia in the MSHSAA Class 2 Sectional, Wednesday at Jefferson City.

Wesley and Brandt combined for 29 points and each collected seven boards for Santa Fe (16-10), which only won five games last season and one the year before. With six underclassmen in their regular rotation, the Chiefs are poised to make another run at the district title next season.

"The big-game atmosphere was important," Zahl remarked. "I was hoping we could get a little more of that experience."