Five Tooele players scored in double figures and the Buffaloes ended the season on a high note with a 74-71 victory at Payson on Thursday night.

“It was a great way to finish the season; we [the coaches] were proud of how our players responded. We had three great practices before the game and our team was very focused and determined to go out with a victory,” said coach Ray Brazier.

Tooele trailed 32-25 at intermission.

“Our guys were extremely upbeat at halftime; they knew they could come back and win,” the coach said.

The game was never secure until the final horn sounded to end this heart-stopping game.

Tooele dropped behind by 11 points early in the third quarter at 44-33, but then outscored the Lions 14-3 to tie the game with 2:23 left in the third.

The Buffaloes used the 3-point shot to come back and even the score.

Junior Taylor Hunt and senior Tanner Stuart started the rally with back-to-back 3-pointers then Hunt hit his second 3-pointer from the right angle to make it 47-44 for Payson.

Meanwhile, on defense Hunt, Boone Baird and Vaughn Turner made things difficult for Payson’s big men inside.

Turner grabbed an offensive board, put it in the basket, was fouled and made the free throw to tie the game at 47-47.

Turner scored four more points as the quarter wound down and the Buffs led 53-51 until Payson’s Taylor Wright nailed one of his four 3-pointers on the night to give the Lions a 54-53 lead after three quarters.

It was a tight game in the fourth quarter and Payson led 67-66 with two minutes remaining.

Turner drove and dished the ball to Jordan Clemente on the baseline for an easy jumper to give Tooele a 68-67 lead and the Buffs were able to hold on to the lead throughout the final 1:30.

The Buffaloes hit five of their next six free throws and led 73-67 as Payson was forced to foul.

The Lions came back to hit four consecutive foul shots and sliced the Buffs lead to 73-71 with 3.8 seconds left in the game. Payson fouled Stuart who hit one-of-two shots and then Tooele stole the ball on Payson’s final possession to end the game with a 74-71 victory.

Payson hit an incredible 12 3-point shots in the game and were also scoring inside en route to their seven-point halftime lead. But Tooele responded with hard play in the second half and some defensive adjustments.

“Defensively, we fronted their post completely and were more aware of their shooters’ locations. Offensively, we spread the floor more,” Brazier said.

The Tooele coach said Payon’s dozen 3-pointers were the most they have made this season. Tooele’s eight 3-pointers were actually more of the norm for the Buffs.

“With Payson I think it was more of nothing to lose and they’re at home so they were comfortable shooting the three. With us it’s been a big part of the offense all year,” he said.

Two Payson players, Wright and B.J. Ford, were in the zone and accounted for eight of their team’s dozen 3-pointers with four apiece.

Stuart made three 3-pointers for Tooele; Hunt sank two; Jake Dalton two; and Matt Trussell one.

Stuart scored a game-high 17 followed by Baird with 13, Hunt 12, Turner 11, Dalton 10, Clemente six and Trussell five.

The 3-point shooting barrage started in the opening quarter with Payson hitting five 3-pointers for 15 of their 17 first-quarter points en route to a 17-11 advantage.

Tooele’s Trussell nailed a 3-pointer to start the second quarter and Boone hit some driving jumpers, but the Buffs still trailed 27-16 with four minutes until intermission.

Dalton score seven of his points in the final two minutes of the first half and Hunt added an inside basket to keep the Buffs within striking distance at intermission.

It was the final game for Dalton, Brock Haskell, Turner, Clemente, Baird, Trussell and Stuart.

Tooele finished sixth in its seven team region with a 3-9 record and a 7-14 overall mark.

Mark Watson: mwatson@tooeletranscript.com