The end of a career comes suddenly in high school basketball. One minute, you’re trying to win a playoff game. The next, your career is over.

Northwestern 2021 signee Brooks Barnhizer found that out the hard way on Saturday.

Barnhizer was dribbling the ball into the lane with seconds left and his Lafayette (Ind.) Jefferson squad trailing Carmel 50-49 in the regional championship game. He spotted teammate Jacob Collicot under the basket and fired a pass to him, but the ball was deflected away by a Carmel defender and bounced down the court as time ran out.

And just like that, the career of Jeff’s all-time leading scorer was over.

Barnhizer sat on the floor to gather himself for a minute or two after the buzzer. The reality slowly sank in before he stood up and walked off the floor as a Broncho for the last time.

“I was just taking it in and trying to cope with (the loss),” he said the following day. “We had a really good season.”

Indeed, the Bronchos finished 25-3 and captured their first sectional title in 11 years. “But,” he adds, “it was a tough way to go out.”

At least Barnhizer knows his career is not over. “It’s on to the next chapter,” he said.

A chapter that will be written at Northwestern.