Sometimes, something unusual turns into something amazing.

Vinton senior Keithan Rigmaiden hit the go-ahead 3-pointer after a pass went off the backboard with four seconds left to lift the No. 1 Lions to a 52-50 win over No. 4 Ferriday Monday night in the Non-select Division IV semifinals at Burton Coliseum.

Just seconds earlier, Ferriday took a 50-49 lead on a shot in the lane by Calvin Washington.

With time running out, Vinton’s Jaheim Levias worked the ball down the court. He saw D.J. Johnson headed to the rim and tried to pass the ball from half-court, but it went off the backboard. Luckily the ball went right to Rigmaiden, who didn’t hesitate to take the shot to send the Lions (24-5) to the finals for the first time in program history.

“I had to shoot it,” Rigmaiden said. “When it hit my hand, I knew it was going in.”

It was Rigmaiden’s only three of the game on six attempts. He had just three points at halftime but caught fire in the second half and finished with 23 points.

“We have a joke with Keith that he would rather shoot a three than take a two, or shoot a three than make a layup.,” Vinton head coach Keith Kelley said. “He loves that three-point line.

“He’s a pretty good shooter. When it hit his hands, I knew there wasn’t a drive coming anytime soon. It was going up, so I’m glad it did.”

The Lions will play No. 2 Franklin (24-5) on Friday at 6 p.m. in the finals. Franklin beat No. 6 East Iberville 41-37 on Monday.

Vinton trailed 20-14 after a low-scoring first half but found a rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 21 points on 7 of 15 shooting. Levias opened with two quick buckets in the lane, Rigmaiden forced a turnover and made a pair of free throws to put Vinton up 30-29 with 2:34 left in the third quarter. Vinton went on a 17-2 run and took its biggest lead, 45-33, with 5:22 left in the game. Levias had a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds.

“After halftime, we talked about all of our shots that we were taking in the beginning,” Levias said. “Some of them were in rhythm, and some of them out of rhythm, and not every shot is going to be made.

“But we just overcame the little slump that we were in and stayed on fundamentals, and it was right from there.”

That lead was almost not enough as Ferriday (25-10) went on a 15-2 run and took a 48-47 lead on two free throws by Marcque Terrell with 37 seconds left. Terrell lead all scorers with 23 points.