Overtime thriller put Vandalia in title game

PANA — Facing a 17-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter made it seem that the Vandalia boys basketball season was all but over.

A 16-0 run, which lasted just 2:09 and was sparked by a seven-point possession 1:30 into the final period, changed the dynamics dramatically last Wednesday against Carlyle, and helped the Vandals tie the game at 49 and eventually win 55-52 in overtime.

"We never quit and kept battling," said coach Kevin Jackson after the grueling regional semifinal win. "I'm not sure where it came from, but it was a great job by those guys in that locker room.

“It was just a great job."

The seven points came after senior Bryan Hosick was fouled while shooting, but he then received two more free throws because Carlyle's Hunter Hartung was given a technical foul for contesting the shooting foul.

Hosick made all four shots, and junior Leyton Godoyo secured a three-point play 15 seconds later to push Vandalia within 10 points of the lead with 6:16 left in the game.

"You can't beat it, can you?" Jackson said. "That started the whole rally. We had been struggling to score, and when you get four free throws, you get some life."

Vandalia forced Carlyle to turn over the ball six times in the next two minutes, adding eight points off of those miscues, including five more from Godoyo, who had 10 points in the game.

A free throw from junior Tim Ritchey tied the score at 42, which gave Vandalia a share of the lead for the first time since the second quarter.

Carlyle got the next four points, but a 3-pointer from Hosick and a layup from junior Chase Woolsey gave the Vandals a one-point lead, with 1:46 left in the game.

A free throw made by Carlyle’s Matt Hilmes eight seconds later tied the game, but junior Tim Ritchey hit a layup with 38 seconds left to give Vandalia a 49-47 lead. A floater by Carlyle’s Cody Heuls tied up the game with 15 seconds left and forced overtime.

Senior Dathan Berning hit a layup at the midway point of the extra period for his team-leading 15th point of the game, but a play he made with five seconds left was his best contribution for the night.

The Vandals were clinging to a 53-52 lead when Godoyo missed a pair of free throws with 8.3 seconds left, but Berning managed to come down with an offensive rebound off of Godoyo's miss, and then made two free throws himself to give the Vandals a three-point cushion with 5.8 seconds remaining.

“What a rebound by Dathan there,” Jackson said.

Then came a scary moment, however, as senior Quenten Austin, who scored the first basket of overtime just three seconds into the period, committed a foul on an attempted 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Carlyle's Jordan Smith was unable to convert on the first shot, giving the Vandals the win and their first appearance in a regional championship game since the 2009-10 season.

Notes

Vandalia led in the game for just 1:47 during regulation … The Vandals scored 11 of their 26 fourth-quarter points off of Carlyle turnovers … In two games against Carlyle this season, both have gone to overtime, with the Indians having won 82-75 on Dec. 20 … Berning finished the game just five points short of 400 for the season.

Wednesday, Feb. 22
at Pana Regional
as. Carlyle
Vandalia 55
Carlyle 52
VHS: 12-5-6-26-6—55
CHS: 11-10-16-12-3—52
Points: Berning, 15; Godoyo, 10; Austin, 9; Ritchey, 8; Hosick, 7; Wade Cowger, 4; Chase Woolsey, 2.
Rebounds: Berning, 8; Hosick, 7; Godoyo, 5; Team, 3; Austin, 2; Ritchey, 2; Woolsey, 1.
Steals: Godoyo, 5; Austin, 1; Berning, 1; Trevor Montgomery, 1.
Blocks: Hosick, 2; Austin, 1; Godoyo, 1; Woolsey, 1.
Record: 20-9
CHS: Hilmes had 18 points.