Sensing the shift in momentum, Ripon Christian’s Jake Vander Veen — hobbled by a bone bruise and an MCL strain — asked to re-enter the game Thursday at rival Ripon.

“He was done for the game,” RC coach Mark Hofman said. “He made us put him back in.”

The Knights are glad that he did after nearly blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.

Vander Veen made the game-winning basket with 4.1 seconds remaining of a 57-55 win that has them alone at the top of the Trans-Valley League standings. The junior guard attacked from the top 3-point arc and was fouled while rattling in the tough runner in the key, but he left the door open for Ripon by missing the ensuing free throw.

After a timeout, the Indians had 1.6 seconds to get a shot off. Ethan Bauer’s deep 3-pointer from the left wing fell short.

Vander Veen injured his knee during a win at Hilmar last Wednesday, Jan. 29.

“I probably shouldn’t have played tonight,” he said.

He scored eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and distributed three assists.

“Rivalry game, 20 seconds left and the ball in my hand,” Vander Veen said. “That shot is what I dream of. I should have made that free throw, though.”

Amos Cady paced Ripon Christian (8-1 TVL, 19-5 overall) with 18 points, and Mason Tameling tallied 12.

Marcus Madoski spearheaded the Indians’ comeback before fouling out with 1:44 remaining. He poured in 13 of his game-high 24 points in the final period, which included three 3-pointers and a breakaway dunk. He also accumulated 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Logan Lefebvre also keyed the late surge, ending up with 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Ripon (7-2, 15-10) never led, trailed by as much as 17 in the third quarter but was able to tie it twice down the stretch thanks to a full-court press that gave the Knights some fits.

“We had to speed up the game at that point,” Ripon coach Dean Balcao said. “We had to try to get some steals and some easy buckets, and then we start hitting a couple of threes. We were cold for the first three quarters and couldn’t make a shot to to save our lives.”

Vander Veen knocked down a 3-pointer to give Ripon Christian a 49-33 lead with 4:47 left, and that was expected to be his last shot of the game.

Then Ripon scored 13 unanswered points.

Madoski accounted for eight of those points, and the run was capped by Ethan Bauer’s acrobatic reverse layup with 2:32 to go. Sophomore guard Andrew Shaw, who chipped in nine points, made three free throws during that flurry after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt.

Madoski knotted it at 51-51 with a banked-in 3-pointer, and Lefebvre tied it again at 55-55 with two free throws with 26.1 seconds left.

“They had us running. They got a lot of quick transition buckets and made some tough shots, so it just kind of came down to an even game at the end,” Hofman said. “We were fortunate to pull it out. Obviously, Jake’s play was the game right there. He had a little burst of speed I hadn’t seen from him all night, so I’m going to see how he’s doing now.”

Ripon Christian avenged its lone TVL loss. The Knights lost to Ripon at home on Jan. 17, 60-48.

They started strong in the rematch, using an 11-0 run in the final 2:37 of the opening period to lead 23-9. Ripon Christian used different zone defenses to stymie the Ripon attack. The Indians also struggled with foul trouble.

“We’re getting zoned a lot this year,” Balcao said. “We’re getting shots. I don’t mind the zone, as long as we’re working the ball around, but we started forcing shots. In the third quarter, we were working the ball around and getting easier shots, getting rebounds and put-backs.”

Both teams have three games left in the regular season, so the league title is still up for grabs. And it doesn’t get much easier for either squad. The four-time defending champion Knights face Escalon (5-4, 15-10) at home tonight, while Ripon travels to Sonora (8-2, 17-8).

“This league is tough,” Balcao said. “Anybody can beat anybody on a given night, it just depends on the night. If we shot the ball a little bit better tonight, maybe it’s a different story.”