Johns Hopkins rallies to notch overtime win at McDaniel, 76-68
WESTMINSTER, Md. – Doug Polster registered 21 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds remaining in regulation, to lead Johns Hopkins to a 76-68 overtime victory at McDaniel in Centennial Conference (CC) men’s basketball action on Wednesday. With the victory, the Blue Jays (15-9, 11-6 CC) hold the advantage for the No. 3 seed in the upcoming CC tournament. The Green Terror (15-9, 10-7 CC) can still earn the third slot with a win at Gettysburg and a Johns Hopkins loss to Washington (Md.) on Saturday. Otherwise, McDaniel is assured of being at least the fourth seed and hosting the first-round game on Wednesday.
Chris Prior (Westminster, Md./Westminster) recorded his seventh double-double of the season with game highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds while Ryan Finch (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon) and Brett Foelber (Sykesville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) also reached double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
After two Andrew Farber-Miller free throws with two minutes to play accounted for the game’s 11th tie and 11th lead change, Prior finished a Foelber dish before returning the favor on the next Green Terror possession to put the hosts on top 57-54 with 55.8 seconds to play.
Farber-Miller, who finished with 11 points, converted a floater in the lane with 22 seconds on the clock before Miguel Jones (Baltimore, Md./North County) calmly sank two free throws four seconds later to once again stretch the lead to three.
After a timeout with 14.5 seconds on the clock and with a hand in his face, Polster drained a fadeaway 3-pointer from the right wing to knot the game and force overtime.
After a single Farber-Miller free throw and Polster jumper, the Blue Jays held a three-point advantage 27 seconds into overtime.
Back-to-back baskets from Prior gave McDaniel its final lead 37 seconds later.
A Farber-Miller basket and Polster trey from the left corner stretched the lead to four with 1:40 to play.
Foelber trimmed the deficit in half on the next McDaniel possession but Collin Kamm converted an old-fashioned three-point play to stretch the lead back to five with 48 seconds on the clock.
A Henry layup and Odunlami steal-and-free throw trimmed the deficit to two with 25.3 seconds to play but Johns Hopkins converted all six of its free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Two Adam Baumgartner free throws with 10:30 to play in the opening half gave Johns Hopkins its largest lead until the extra session, 15-9.
A Foelber trey with 7:56 showing capped a quick 8-2 burst to knot the game at 17.
Tied at 21 just over two minutes later, Polster canned a 3-pointer and hit a layup off a Scott Weisenfield steal to push the Blue Jay advantage back to five.
Two Prior free throws and a Robert Koebke (Silver Spring, Md./St. Johns) triple knotted the game once again.
Deadlocked at 28, Kevin Henry (Potomac, Md,/Bullis School) nailed another 3-pointer and Prior tipped in a Jones missed just before the final horn to give the hosts a 33-28 halftime advantage.
Holding its opponent to just six points through the first 9:44 of the second half, Johns Hopkins clawed back to take a 40-39 lead on a John Alberici layup at the 10:34 mark.
Neither team built a lead of larger than four points for the remainder of regulation.
Pat O’Connell finished with a double-double, scoring 10 points to go with a team-high 13 rebounds while Kevin Roach chipped in 10 points, three assists and four blocked shots. O’Connell also dished out four helpers.
McDaniel concludes the regular season at Gettysburg on Saturday. Game time is 2 p.m.
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