Murray » Tyler Jackson's first look was to Chris Barnes, because the senior forward had been unstoppable in the fourth quarter on the interior.

But with two Murray defenders surrounding Barnes, Jackson didn't have a choice, not with four seconds remaining and overtime hanging in the wind.

So the senior guard did what he knew best, which is to say that he stepped back, let fly and swished a three-pointer from the corner that sent the West Panthers' student section into a frenzy.

Jackson's clutch shot supplied West with a scintillating 60-57 win over a Spartans team that hit nine three-pointers and held a 12-point lead midway through the third quarter.

"When I first caught the pass I was going to give the ball to Chris," Jackson said. "Last year we couldn't have won this game. But this team has grown. We're experienced and it paid off for us."

With five minutes remaining in the third period, Murray led 38-26, courtesy of a Julian Moore three-pointer. Instead of panicking and throwing up bad shots, the Panthers methodically worked their way back into the game.

Down 44-35, West went on an 11-0 run to take a 46-44 advantage, with the biggest basket coming from Daniel Wray, who worked his way inside for an offensive rebound and a bucket off a missed free throw.

And while Wray and Jackson, two role players, made the biggest plays of the game for an unbeaten Panthers squad, the meat was supplied by the duo of Barnes and Tyrell Corbin.

A sophomore point guard who was sloppy in the first three periods, Corbin came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the final eight minutes, hitting jumpers and getting to the basket off the dribble at will.

Barnes was just as spectacular, isolating at the top of the key and going to the bucket. He scored nine of his 17 points in the final period, with every point being desperately needed by the Panthers.

Those two were just enough to offset the great performances of Murray guards Markus Duran and John Hunt. Duran hit the three that tied the game at 57, and hit five in all from beyond the arc on his way to 21 points.

Hunt led all scorers with 23 points.

tjones@sltrib.com