American Fork » When the clock is running down and a game is on the line, the teams that make runs toward state champions are usually the teams that have a player who can create his own shot anytime he wants.

For Brighton High, Corbin Miller is that player. And he proved it on Friday night.

With the game tied at American Fork, and the Caveman crowd at a fever pitch, Miller drove hard to his right, stepped back and nailed a perfect 15-footer with seven seconds remaining.

The shot propelled the Bengals to a 62-60 win in front of a packed house. It was a game that was exciting as the final score suggests.

"Coach [Lyndon Johnson] drew it up in the timeout right before play," said Miller, a junior and one of the best guards in the state.

"He just told me to go and get a shot. That's what I did."

On Friday night, the adage that basketball is a game of runs proved true.

The Cavemen went up for the first time in the second half, 47-45. Brighton came right back, punctuated by Miller's three-point play, with a 12-0 run to take a 57-47 advantage.

Undaunted, American Fork fought back in the last four minutes with a 13-3 run capped by Marcel Davis's steal and layup that tied the game at 60 and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

What set the Bengals apart, however, was Miller. He scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. And he had help, too.

Loi Masina led all scorers with 21 points, mostly on slicing moves to the basket. Sam Wunderli scored 16 points, although he spent a good chunk of the game in foul trouble.

That was enough to offset American Fork's Ben Beddes, who scored 18 to lead the Cavemen.

"Anytime you win a game on the road in Region 4, it's a good thing," Johnson said. "This was definitely a good win, even though we tried to give it back."

With the victory, Brighton, one of the best teams in the state, moves to 9-2 on the season. The Bengals are 2-0 in the league, having beaten Lone Peak on Wednesday night.

tjones@sltrib.com