Joe Martin’s three-point play with 27.6 seconds remaining proved to be the winning points as University scored a hard-fought 64-62 overtime win over Sectional 42 rival Covenant Christian at The U Center Friday night.
Martin, who had a game-high 20 points, drove the lane and scored as he was fouled to put University on top 62-61. The ensuing free throw gave the Trailblazers a 63-61 advantage. The Warriors’ Trey Flatt split a pair of foul shots with 14.2 seconds remaining before University’s Sam Mervis did the same with 11.3 seconds left, giving Covenant Christian one last chance to extend or win the game. Mervis deflected a pass out of bounds, leaving the Warriors with just 1.6 seconds to inbound and get off a shot. The inbound pass was made to the right corner, where University’s Jacob Sager blocked a potential game winning three-point shot.
The first half was a back and forth affair, with neither team leading by more than five points. University led 28-26 at the break, setting the stage for an unusual third quarter punctuated by large runs by each team.
Camden Brown made a foul shot and Max Greenamoyer hit one of this four three pointers on the night to give the Trailblazers a 32-26 lead just 50 seconds in to the half. After a Covenant Christian basket, University ran off the next nine points and held the Warriors scoreless for more than three minutes.
Brown made a pair of foul shots after an offensive rebound, Mervis found Jacob Sager alone for a layin before Corey Ash-Simpson gathered an offensive rebound and found Martin for a three pointer from the top of the key. Another Martin basket gave the Blazers a 41-28 lead with 3:41 left, capping a 13-2 start to the half. University still led 43-30 with 3:20 left after another Martin field goal, before the Warriors went on a 14-3 run to pull within 46-44 after three.
The teams traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter with Covenant Christian tying the contest at 55 with 1:46 left. University held for the last shot and Mervis missed at the buzzer to send the contest to overtime.
Flatt scored to put the Warriors up 57-55 before Max Greenamoyer hit a three pointer off a Mervis feed to put the Blazers back on top. Cameron Shurig scored for Covenant Christian and another Flatt field goal had the Warriors up 61-58 with 1:38 left. Greenamoyer came back on a driving bank shot to cut the lead to one, before fouling out with 46 seconds remaining. The Warriors missed the front end of the one and one, setting up Martin’s heroics and the game winning sequence.
Greenamoyer had 17 points for University, who improved to 16-4 on the season. Shurig had 18 and Flatt 16 to lead Covenant Christian (now 13-7).
“I am really proud of our guys for sticking together,” said University coach Brandon Lafferman. “We had lots of ups and downs in the second half and found a way to win against a tough team. We got some big minutes off our bench tonight, playing large stretches of the fourth quarter and overtime with two starters on the bench in foul trouble. This was a hard-fought game with good effort from both teams. ”
University’s PAAC championship game against Greenwood Christian, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed until Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1:30 p.m. due to Greenwood Christian’s girls team playing in the regional tournament.
University is next in action Tuesday night when it hosts Victory College Prep.
UNIVERSITY 64, COVENANT CHRISTIAN 62
(overtime)
University FG FT TP PF
Sam Mervis 3-8 1-3 7 1
Max Greenamoyer 6-13 1-2 17 5
Camden Brown 2-3 3-4 7 1
Jacob Sager 2-2 0-0 4 4
Joe Martin 7-16 3-3 20 3
Aaron Stallings 0-0 0-0 0 0
Korey Ash-Simpson 0-1 2-2 2 1
Larry Pierce 2-3 0-0 4 1
Matt Jones 1-1 0-0 3 1
Totals 23-47 10-14 64 17
Score by Quarters
University 12 16 18 9 9 – 64
Covenant 12 14 18 11 7 – 62
University 3-point shooting (8-16) Greenamoyer 4-10, Martin 3-4, Jones 1-1, Mervis 0-1.
University rebounds (29) Brown 11, Mervis 5, Ash-Simpson 4, Greenamoyer 3, Pierce 2, Sager 2, Martin 2.