By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – Malcolm Houze was in the right place at the right time.
The Guerin Catholic junior had just inbounded the ball with 3.5 seconds left in double overtime of the Golden Eagles’ sectional championship game with Brebeuf Jesuit. Seconds later, Houze had the ball again under the Guerin Catholic basket, and he made an easy layin at the buzzer to send the Golden Eagles to a 75-74 victory.
A basket at the buzzer by Malcolm Houze (pictured in center, with Jack Cherry at left and GC coach Bobby Allen at right) clinched the win for the Golden Eagles. (Mike Navarro)
Guerin Catholic thus defended its Class 3A Sectional 27 championship in perhaps the most dramatic way possible, by upsetting the 3A No. 1-ranked Braves in front of a capacity crowd at the Eagles Nest after 40 minutes of basketball that saw both teams do everything and anything to win the game.
“The fight and just the want to win and keep going by both teams tonight,” said GC coach Bobby Allen, who called the epic contest one of the most incredible games he’s ever been a part of.
While the entire game was outstanding, people will never forget the last 3.5 seconds. Houze inbounded the ball, which went loose and was headed back out of bounds. But senior Ben Grissom grabbed the ball and flung it back towards the basket as he went tumbling into the stands.
Houze caught the ball just underneath the basket. He laid it in as the buzzer went off – not that anyone heard the buzzer, since the Eagles Nest was filled with screaming and GC students rushing the floor.
“We actually did tell Ben to be back there behind the lob in case something got loose,” said Allen. “Then he came in and had enough basketball IQ to save that ball and throw it back towards the rim. And Malcolm was right there.”
“It was a good play by 12 (Grissom),” said Houze. “It’s just one of many and we’ll keep going.”
Senior Jack Cherry was one of five Golden Eagles in double figures, scoring 14 points. Cherry also had seven rebounds and six assists. (Mike Navarro)
It seemed like the 3A No. 6 Golden Eagles were all but assured of going on in the tournament, as they led for the majority of the game. Brebeuf led 10-7 late in the first quarter before Guerin Catholic used an 8-0 run to take a 15-10 lead. That included five points from Robert Sorensen.
Sorensen was dominant in the second quarter with eight points, including six in a row during the third minute of that period. He made an and-1 with 5:53 left, then drained a 3-pointer seconds later to push Guerin ahead 27-15.
Houze made a second-quarter triple and Dylan Murans was good on a layin to give the Golden Eagles their largest lead of the game at 36-21. Guerin Catholic led 38-26 at halftime.
The Braves began to make things interesting in the third quarter. Evan Haywood hit back-to-back 3s, which Bryson Cardinal answered with two free throws and a layin. Cardinal and Jack Cherry led the way in the third period, which ended with the Golden Eagles ahead 50-38.
Brebeuf stepped up the pressure in the fourth quarter, outscoring Guerin Catholic 20-8. Haywood made two more triples, then a 3 from Quinn Warren got the Braves within 55-54. Cardinal made a pair of free throws with 6.9 seconds left to get GC up 58-55, but Haywood tied the game with a 3-pointer and it was on to the first overtime.
The first overtime was basically a condensed rerun of the fourth quarter. The Golden Eagles got on top right away after Cherry made a 3 and were in front 65-61 after a Murans layin. Houze put in two free throws with 17.9 seconds left to give GC a 67-64 lead, but Haywood came through again, draining a 3 with 10 seconds left to tie the contest at 67-67 and send the game to a second overtime.
Cherry scored three points, a layin and a free throw, to push the Golden Eagles in front 70-67. Haywood struck again, tying it up with his eighth 3-pointer of the game. A layin from Javawn Brooks gave Brebeuf a 74-73 lead, but Guerin Catholic got the ball and called timeout on their side of the floor with 3.5 seconds left, and that was enough time to get the win.
Five players scored in double figures for the Golden Eagles, led by Cardinal’s 19 points and eight rebounds. Sorensen finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Cherry scored 14 points, collected seven rebounds and dished out six assists. Houze and Murans both totaled 11 points; Houze also had five assists and was clutch at the free-throw line, making 5 of 6 during the overtime periods.
Haywood finished with 35 points, while Brooks scored 26 points.
Guerin Catholic won the program’s seventh sectional title and improved to 20-7 for the season. The Golden Eagles will play Indianapolis Washington at 4 p.m. this Saturday at Greenfield-Central for the Regional 13 championship.