Leshawn Stowers can win basketball games with his scoring. Leshawn Stowers can also win basketball games with his defense.
The Peoria High senior, however, may be the only player in the area to have both offensive and defensive buzzer-beaters to win in back to back games.
His latest heroics came at the end of a state-ranked battle with Class 3A No. 8 Morton on Tuesday with the Lions holding a 33-31 lead with 1.7 seconds to play and the Potters having the basketball. Following a timeout, Stowers prevented Morton from even getting a potential game-tying or game-winning shot off by poking the ball away from Potters star Wes Gudeman.
It was an unconventional type of buzzer-beater to win an unconventional – even ugly at times – game, but Stowers’ play has kept the Class 3A No. 3 Lions still perfect on the season at 7-0.