Box Score
La Verne 66, Ohio Wesleyan 63

Senior guard Taylor Rieger (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) sank 3 free throws to bring Ohio Wesleyan within a single point, but La Verne withstood the Bishop comeback and held on for a win to kick off the annual Hoopsville National Invitational Tournament, hosted by Stevenson University on Friday in Owings Mills, Md.

Ohio Wesleyan will face Trinity (Texas) at 7 p.m. tomorrow to wrap up the tournament's second day of action.

The Bishops trailed, 58-53, with 3:17 left in regulation time before Rieger hit the second of 2 free throws and senior wing Dre White (Lima/Bath) followed with a steal and dunk to bring Ohio Wesleyan within 58-56 with 2:31 to go.

La Verne's Ronn See sank a pair of free throws with :33 remaining to give the Leopards a 4-point lead, but Rieger drove to the hoop for a lay-in that brought the Bishops within 62-60 with :22 left before See sank another pair of free throws at the :15 mark to make it 64-60.

Rieger was fouled on a 3-point shot on the Bishops' next possession and sank all 3 free throws for a 64-63 count, but Josiah Sukumaran broke free for a lay-in to give La Verne a 66-63 lead with :07 left.

Rieger got the ball upcourt and had a look at a game-tying 3-pointer, but his 25-footer was off the mark with :03 left, and the Leopards were able to run out the clock.

La Verne used an 8-3 run to build a 22-15 first-half lead, only to see the Bishops storm back with a 13-2 burst that included a 3-pointer and a basket by sophomore post Claude Gray (Avon) as well as a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws from senior post Reuel Rogers (Columbus/Bexley).  White followed with a putback bucket that gave the Bishops a 28-24 advantage with 3:01 left in the first half.

Kendall McClain hit 3 3-pointers as La Verne finished the half with a 9-3 scoring spree, and See sank a pair of baskets and a pair of free throws as the Leopards extended the lead to 42-37 early in the second half.

Rogers' jumper gave Ohio Wesleyan a 50-46 edge with 10:47 left in regulation time, but the Bishops would go without a basket for more than 6 minutes while La Verne built a 56-51 lead.

Rieger led the Bishops with 15 points.  Rogers and Gray finished with 13 points apiece.  White added a double-double, scoring 11 points and snaring a career-high 11 rebounds.

McClain led LaVerne with 15 points.

Box Score