Eisenhower Wins Overtime Thriller at Warren-Mott

The proved their toughness Tuesday night, winning a tight one in double overtime against the Warren-Mott Marauders, 85-79.

The game, which helped the Eagles improve to 3-13 on the year, was an explosive offensive showdown between the two squads.

“This is one of the highest games we’ve ever had in, I think, what, is this my 10th year,” said Eagles coach Brandon Lemley.

Both teams started out strong, with the Marauders opening scoring 20 seconds into the game thanks to a hard drive to the basket by junior guard Tommie Bell, who finished the night with 24 points.

The Eagles tied things up 20 seconds later when senior center Brandon Bartneck banked in a post shot to make the score 2-2. Bartneck would finish the night with 31 points and 13 rebounds.

Neither team ever managed to mount an impressive lead but the Eagles were in front for the bulk of the game, leading 37-31 at the half after junior Joe Scrivano tossed in a long shot from almost half court that swished through the net as the buzzer went off.

“Our kids fought tonight, both teams played their hearts out,” Lemley said. “I’m really proud of the way we played and battled and we kept our mental toughness. Even when (Warren-Mott) got up or got close they kept clawing and clawing and fighting back.”

In the second half, junior guard Victor Sharpe opened the scoring when he stole the ball and then took it the entire length of the court for a layup at 7:40.

Scrivano answered right back when he sunk a 3-pointer a minute later, going 8-12 on the night from 3-point range and finishing with 26 points.

The Marauders never gave up, staying within four or five points for the beginning of the third quarter but ultimately falling behind 54-47 going into the fourth quarter.

Junior forward John Parks and junior guard Anthony Brooks cut that lead to three points on back-to-back plays for the Marauders. Then, with 5:28 left in the quarter, Bell was fouled while putting back his own rebound. He sank the free throw and tied the game at 54.

Despite their best efforts, the Marauders didn’t manage to take the lead, though, until 1:20 when Parks went end-to-end with a layup that made the score 62-61 in favor of the home team.

Sharpe increased that lead to three points 20 seconds later after he was fouled by Eagles guard Chad Howell and made both free throws.

Bartneck cut the Marauders’ lead to one with 40 seconds left in the fourth by sinking a short jumper along the baseline and then split at the line with 10 seconds left to tie the game.

“We struggled all year,” Lemley said. “We’re a young team. Tonight we kind of found a way to handle it. ... The good guys won tonight.”

In the first overtime, Scrivano opened the scoring with another 3-pointer but Sharpe answered with his own a few seconds later. Both teams traded the lead back and fourth and went into a second overtime tied at 71.

The Eagles scored first in the final period when Scrivano again sank a 3-pointer at 3:46. They wouldn’t lose the lead for the rest of the game, finishing their scoring at the line when Howell sunk back-to-back free throws with five seconds left.

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