Westview senior Courtney Krysl tries to dribble around Poway defender Mandy Castro. Krysl, who scored 17 points, hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds to spark the Wolverines’ triumph.

POWAY — With just 43.8 seconds to play in the Palomar League showdown, it looked awfully bleak for Westview High.

Poway held a five-point lead for about six seconds and then Wolverines senior point guard Courtney Krysl saved the day with a quick layup.

“That was the moment I thought we couldn’t do this,” Krysl admitted.

She was wrong.

Scoring nine of her 17 points down the stretch, Krysl not only led the charge back but canned a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left that proved to be the game-winning basket in a 54-53 girls basketball victory Wednesday night.

“I figured we might not get a better shot than the one I had, so I took it,” Krysl said. “The plan was to go to Jamie (Legaspi) for a 3, but it was chaotic out there.

“We never got into our offensive groove. It’s very uncomfortable to play Poway’s game in Poway’s gym. All we could do was the best we could and hope it worked out.”

The win that snapped Poway’s six-game winning streak was the seventh straight triumph for the No. 4-ranked Wolverines (19-3, 5-0), whose largest lead of the game was at 29-27.

“Give them credit because they held us to 36 points after three quarters and 54 points for the game,” Westview coach Frank Quinones said. “They did what they had to do and we’re lucky to walk off with a ‘W.’?”

Krysl’s last basket — her third 3-pointer of the game — topped off a game in which the score was tied four times and the lead changed hands nine times.

Trailing 52-49 after Krysl’s layup, the Wolverines got a break when No. 9 Poway (17-5, 4-1) was called for a five-second violation after a Westview timeout.

“I don’t know that we’ve ever had a turnover like that before,” Poway coach Jay Trousdale said.

Ty Wheetley-Amaya’s driving basket with 29 seconds left sliced the deficit to 52-51.

Poway’s Brianna Molnar, who took game scoring honors with 19 points, hit one of two free throws with 18.9 seconds left to set the stage for Krysl’s basket.

“These are my favorite games to play,” Krysl said. “There is excitement in the gym the whole way. It’s what I live for.

“I get a little nervous and my legs shake a bit like it did tonight, but it’s still worth it when you come into a place like Poway where it is tough to win.”

There was nothing bleak about the game after Krysl was finished.