John Carroll drops heartbreaker in OT

Senior guard Berger nets 22 points in losing cause for Blue Streaks

It came to a test of wills between John Carroll and Heidelberg on Feb. 5 at the DeCarlo Varsity Center.

The Student Princes aced the test, overcoming disappointment at the end of regulation to pull past the Blue Streaks in overtime, 85-83.

With the loss that JCU senior guard Ryan Berger called “a little depressing,” the Blue Streaks slipped to 13-7 overall and 6-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

“Coming off the big win over Marietta (on Feb. 1), we didn’t get the same kind of effort tonight,” Berger said. “But give them a lot of credit. They always play us tough.”

Heidelberg upped its records to 9-11 overall and 7-6 in the OAC with a quality road win.

Berger finished with a teamhigh 22 points. His 3-pointer from 23 feet as time expired in regulation pulled JCU into a 7474 deadlock and forced overtime.

The Blue Streaks were in desperate straights after Heidelberg junior guard Dylan Woods cashed in a 3-pointer with 41.2 seconds remaining to pull the Student Princes even at 71-71.

Woods deposited another trey with 3.3 seconds remaining to put Heidelberg in front, 74-71.

Woods finished with a game-high 25 points.

“We were all excited when Dylan hit those shots, but we also know the game wasn’t over. John Carroll is explosive and well-coached,” Heidelberg coach Andy Bucheit said.

Sure enough, after a defensive deflection by the Student Princes left only 1.9 seconds on the clock,

Berger found a way to hoist and make a contested shot.

Instead of being deflated by Berger’s buzzerbeater, the Student Princes came out firing on all cylinders in overtime.

They opened the extra session with a jumper by

senior guard Josh Dixon, a driving layup by Dixon and a 3-pointer by senior guard Tamal Watkins to take an 81-74 lead.

The Blue Streaks battled back, pulling to within 81-79 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Jackson Sartain. Watkins answered with another

3-pointer to give the Student Princes the cushion they needed to fend off a last-ditch JCU charge.

“We’ve been in so many close games this season, our guys are comfortable in the situation we faced tonight,” Bucheit said.

Sartain added 19 points for the Blue Streaks. Watkins

had 19 points, three assists and three steals for the Student Princes. Dixon added 14 points.

“They made shots down the stretch. It’s as simple as that,” JCU coach Pete Moran said.

The Blue Streaks return to action on Feb. 8 at Capital. Tipoff is 1 p.m.

TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD John Carroll’s Jackson Sartain drives against Heidelberg on Feb. 5.

TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD John Carroll’s Hugh Brown (Hawken) looks to shoot against Heidelberg on Feb. 5.