La Roche Nips Lions In Overtime

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Derek Barber-Richards hit the game-winning layup with 10 seconds left in overtime to lead the La Roche men's basketball team past Penn State Behrend 59-58 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Saturday.

Barber-Richards scored a game-high 21 points behind 8-for-12 shooting from the floor, making his only shot taken in overtime to help the Redhawks (15-5, 10-3 AMCC) defeat the Lions (9-10, 8-5 AMCC) for a second time this season.

Only needing one point to break the 1,000 plateau for his career, Russ Conley (Transfer, PA/Reynolds) paced Behrend with 20 points, six rebounds and two blocks. With 7:37 left in the first half, the junior reach 1,000 points with a good free throw.

In a defensive minded game, the Lions shot 53.7 percent from the floor and held La Roche to just 39.6 percent but the Redhawks held a 16-5 advantage on the offensive boards which worked in their favor down the stretch.

In a thrilling second half, the game was tied six times and neither team had a lead of more than five points. With the hosts ahead by four points after a three-pointer by David Jackson, Behrend went on a 12-5 run to take its largest lead of the half.

A Keith Wallace (Washington, DC/Central Tech [PA]) jumper, followed by a pair of free throws by Conley pulled the Lions within 44-42. Wallace didn't stop there and drained three consecutive layups to make it, 48-45 in Behrend favor.  Nick DeLisio (Aliquippa, PA/Central Valley) finished the run with a jumper just inside the arc for a five-point lead.

The only points scored in the final 1:51 were from La Roche. Andre Flanigan made a layup and Jean Freeman had a steal that led to a Barber-Richards layup to get within one. Despite shooting 14-for-26 from the line, Flanigan it the back end of two from the charity stripe to knot the game at 50-all.

The overtime proved to be the same as the final minutes of the second half. Nick Thorsen (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) got his jumper to fall and Conley followed with a layup for a 54-52 lead. Flanigan made a free throw, but  DeLisio doubled that  on the next trip down to keep Behrend ahead by three.

After Jackson drove in for the layup, Conley converted two from the line but it came down to back-to-back layups in the last 54 seconds to secure the win. Flanigan scored and the Redhawks forced a turnover that turned into Barber-Richards game-winning shot.

The Lions return to action on Wednesday against D'Youville. Game time is 6 p.m.