Trailing by four points with less than a minute left in regulation, University’s season was on the line. Junior Andre Ozlowski scored four points in the last 33 seconds to tie the game and force overtime, then scored the final two of his game high 21 points with 3.4 seconds left to lift the Trailblazers to a thrilling 53-51 come from behind win over Covenant Christian in a physical Class 2A Sectional 42 game at Park Tudor.
University posted Ozlowski up for the basket with 33 seconds left than pulled them within 47-45. With 20 seconds left Nate Jeffrey and Seth Hogg trapped the Covenant Christian ball handler outside the three point line and Hogg came up with the steal. Hogg dribbled in to the front court and fed Ozlowski for a driving lay-in with 16 seconds left to knot the game at 47. University applied excellent defense and rebounded a missed shot to run out the clock in regulation.
The Blazers got on the board first in overtime when Sabien Cain made a nifty move to the basket for a 49-47 lead with 3:02 left. Cain finished with 16 points. Covenant Christian senior Brock Buckley answered with the last of his 20 points to tie the game at 49. After a University turnover, the Warriors’ Donovan Royster scored for a 51-49 advantage. The Trailblazers came right down and Larry Pierce knotted the game at 51 with 1:30 remaining.
The Warriors went inside to Royston, but Jeffrey made another terrific defensive play forcing a missed shot and the rebound went out of bounds to the Trailblazers. University used its last timeout with 22 seconds left and bled the clock until Cain dribbled to the right wing. The Warriors triple teamed Cain at the three point line, but the sophomore threaded a jump pass to Ozlowski cutting through the lane from to left to right and the junior laid the ball in for the winning points.
Covenant Christian used two timeouts with 3.4 on the clock before inbounding the ball to three quarter court and calling timeout with 3.0 left. The Warriors followed up with another timeout to set up their final play. Pierce applied pressure on the inbounder, forcing the pass to be completed in the backcourt. The Warriors could not get off a shot before the horn sounded.
The Warriors threatened to run away with the game early, scoring the first 11 points of the game. Cain’s three pointer with 2:12 left in the opening quarter was University’s first points of the game. Covenant Christian led 16-5 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter opened as a defensive slog. Neither team scored until Covenant Christian made a pair of foul shots with 4:11 left for an 18-5 lead, their largest of the game. University still trailed by ten as the clock wound down, before Ozlowski made a three pointer for his first points of the game to cut the Warrior lead to 23-16 at halftime.
Ozlowski made a three pointer ten seconds in to the third quarter and Pierce cut the lead to 23-21 with a basket. University finally pulled even with 3:22 left when Ozlowski scored on a rebound to knot the game at 27. Covenant jumped back in front but baskets by Ozlowski (Jeffrey assist) and Pierce (Ozlowski assist) kept University close. Cain had an old fashioned three point play before the Blazers took their first lead of the game at 37-35 on an Ozlowski three pointer at the buzzer off a Cain assist.
Robert Russell drilled a corner three to open the third quarter and Hogg completed a 10-0 University run by splitting a pair of foul shots after making yet another steal. The Blazers led 41-35 and looked ready to put the game away, but University didn’t score for the next five minutes as Covenant Christian scored ten straight points for a 45-41 lead. Ozlowski broke the drought by grabbing a defensive rebound and dribbled the length of the floor for a score. Covenant Christian answered with a bucket by Jack Fulbright for the 47-43 lead that set the stage for the late University heroics.
Trailblazers coach Brandon Lafferman was thrilled with his team’s heart and effort. “Our youth showed as we fell in to an 11-0 hole to start the game. I’m really proud of our team. It was a group effort, digging in and finding a way to stay in the game in the first half when we were playing poorly. We came out of the locker room in the second half and stuck to the game plan. The ball started to move, guys got to the right spot. We settled in and found a way to pull it out against a well-coached team that was prepared, physical and tough. They had us on the ropes and I’m proud my guys were able to get back in the game and win it.”
The win was University’s second nail biter over Covenant Christian this season as the Blazers won 53-52 on Jan. 22.
University will take a 14-9 record in to Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. sectional championship against Heritage Christian. The Trailblazers scored a 50-48 home win over the Eagles on Feb. 5.
UNIVERSITY 53, COVENANT CHRISTIAN 51
(overtime)
University FG FT TP PF
Robert Russell 1 0-0 3 3
Sabien Cain 6 1-1 16 2
Andre Ozlowski 9 0-0 21 2
Larry Pierce 3 0-0 6 2
Seth Hogg 2 1-2 5 1
Bryce Gray 0 0-0 0 1
Nate Jeffrey 0 0-0 0 3
Kahmi Bracey 1 0-0 2 1
Totals 22 2-3 53 15
Score by Quarters
Covenant 16 7 12 12 4 – 51
University 5 11 21 10 6 – 53
University 3-pointers (6) Cain 3, Ozlowski 3.