Oskaloosa–William Penn again had big troubles with Baker, but this time around the Statesmen men’s basketball team produced just enough positive plays over 50 minutes of action to come away with a 95-93 double-overtime victory in Heart of America Athletic Conference action Saturday.
The fourth-ranked Statesmen (18-2, 14-2 Heart) improved to 2-0 in overtime games this year (four straight, dating back to last year) and matched their longest winning streak of the campaign at seven.
The hosts, who fell to BU 88-85 in Kansas back in November, looked like revenge would come easy as they stormed out to a 46-32 halftime advantage.
Unfortunately, Baker roared out of the locker room and scored at will in the second stanza. The Wildcats tied the score at 59-59 at the 10:23 mark and then expanded their own lead to as much as seven at 73-66 with 4:55 remaining in regulation.
The Statesmen finally caught enough traction on both ends and knotted the game at 76-76 with 2:33 to go. Baker recaptured the edge at 80-79 in the final minute, but could not add to the margin in the waning seconds. That left the door open for the Statesmen and Torren Jones (Sr., Chandler, Ariz., Sociology) was fouled with only eight seconds left. He knocked down one of two shots to tie the game at 80-80 and the defense denied a pair of close-range BU shots to force overtime.
Fouls began to mount late in the regulation and into overtime, forcing both sides to go deep into their benches as a total of six players (three on each team) fouled out. The home squad held the largest lead of the initial extra session at three when Kevin Smith (Sr., Baltimore, Md., Physical Education) picked the pocket of a Baker player and went the distance. He missed his fast-break layup, but Charles Knowles (Sr., Chicago, Ill., Physical Education) was right there for the putback, making it 87-84 with 24 ticks remaining.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats answered with a three-point play only a few seconds later. Lionel Ellison (Sr., New Orleans, La., Kinesiology), who was one of three Statesmen with a double-double, had a chance to get WPU back on top, but his layup was just short, and Baker’s desperation heave misfired and a second OT ensued.
WPU was either tied or in the lead during all but 14 seconds of the latter overtime and likely could have iced the game had it not struggled so mightily at the line. Ahead three with 13 seconds left, the Statesmen missed their final three free throws (31-for-49 overall), while Baker hit one on their end to close to within two at 95-93. The last William Penn miss, with 5.6 seconds on the clock, was pulled down by the Wildcats but they were unable to get the ball ahead with ease and had to settle for a near half-court launch that caught the rafters, allowing William Penn to survive.
The squad will not have much time to relish the win as it is headed for a big matchup in Des Moines on Monday as the Statesmen take on second place Grand View at 7:30 p.m. WPU is 1.5 games up on the Vikings.
The navy and gold won despite being outshot 40.6%-36.4%. WPU did outrebound BU 52-50, including a 16-9 offensive mark which was good for an 18-11 edge in second-chance points. The victors also committed six fewer turnovers (13-19), but the Wildcats actually managed to outscore the Statesmen 16-12 in points off mistakes.
Jones had the best overall performance with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Knowles was next with a near double-double of 18 points and eight rebounds. Ellison, with 14 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals, and Smith, with 12 points and 10 rebounds, were not denied double-doubles however.
Corbin Medley (Jr., Rogersville, Mo., General Accounting) tallied eight points and Jeremy Postell (Sr., Atlanta, Ga., Sociology) added five more.
“Our fans really helped in the win today,” Head Coach John Henry said. “We struggled most of the game, but the crowd was loud and electric. I want to thank them all so much.”
“Chuck (Charles Knowles) is having a great senior season; I am very happy and proud of him,” Henry added.
