Box Score
Wittenberg 98, Ohio Wesleyan 94
Freshman wing Ethan Stanislawski (Massilon/Jackson) drove for a lay-in to give Ohio Wesleyan the lead with :18.4 to play, but 25th-ranked Wittenberg came back to send the game into overtime, and the Tigers held off an Ohio Wesleyan comeback in the overtime period to escape with a North Coast Athletic Conference win on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.
Wittenberg's James Johnson had tied the score at 80 on a lay-in with :39 left in regulation time.
Stanislawski drove for a lay-in to give the Bishops the lead with :18.4 remaining. Mitchell Balser misfired on a 3-point attempt with :09 left, and freshman wing Gabe Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Wheaton St. Francis) picked up the rebound in stride and headed toward the Tiger basket. Balser collided with Gabe Johnson near the right sideline, and a common foul was called, giving the Bishops the ball out of bounds with :04.9 remaining. With another foul to give, the Tigers chased down junior guard Jaret Gerber (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) in the backcourt after the inbounds play and fouled him with :02.1 remaining, and on the ensuing inbounds play, junior post Grant Gossard (Westerville/Olentangy Orange) was fouled with :01.1 to go.
Gossard missed the front end of the one-and-one, and the Tigers controlled the defensive rebound and called timeout. Wittenberg sent a long pass ahead to James Johnson in the paint, and he was fouled by Gabe Johnson with :00.7 on the clock. James Johnson hit both free throws to even the score at 82.
The Bishops had a look at the game-winner, but sophomore wing Dawsin Tillman (Bellefontaine) saw his 55-foot shot hit the front of the rim.
Balser drove for a lay-in to open the scoring in overtime, and Jake Bertemes followed with a pair of lay-ins to give the visitors an 88-82 lead.
Freshman guard Curtis White (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) rallied the Bishops with a lay-in and a 3-point play to make it a 92-90 game with 1:08 left, but the Tigers answered with a Bertemes lay-in and a pair of Balser free throws for a 96-90 lead with :25 to play.
Gerber drove for a lay-in, then stole the ensuing inbounds pass. His 3-point shot was wide, but the ball went out of bounds to Ohio Wesleyan, and Gabe Johnson drove for a lay-in to bring the Bishops within 96-94 with :06.3 remaining. Wittenberg's Jordan Pumroy then sank a pair of free throws with :05 left to seal the outcome.
Ohio Wesleyan had taken an early 8-2 behind 3-pointers from Gabe Johnson and Stanislawski, but Wittenberg scored 8 straight points to take the lead, getting 3-pointers from James Johnson and Balser. The Tigers took their biggest lead of the game midway through the first half when a Bertemes 3-pointer made it 21-14, but the Bishops rallied to tie the game at 30 on a Gossard lay-in, and the first half would end in a 38-38 deadlock.
The Bishops broke a 61-61 tie with 7 straight points, collecting baskets from junior guard Tristin Tillman (Bellefontaine) and Gossard along with a 3-pointer by Gerber, and Ohio Wesleyan still led, 77-72, after a Gabe Johnson 3-pointer with 3:45 left. Wittenberg answered with 8 straight points to retake the lead, but Stanislawski knocked down a 3-pointer to put Ohio Wesleyan ahead 80-78 with less than a minute to play, setting up the thrilling conclusion.
Gabe Johnson led the Bishops with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Stanislawski finished with 17 points, Gossard scored 13 points, Tristin Tillman added 11 points, and Gerber scored 10 points.
Bertemes scored 22 points for Wittenberg.
Box Score
