Saints Win Opener in Overtime

Kenny Hernandez

LIBERAL, Kan. — The Saints basketball team rallied from a double-digit, second-half deficit to beat the Midland College Chaparrals, 74-70, in an overtime thriller in its regular-season opener on Friday at the Greenhouse in the Pizza Hut Classic.

Seward trailed as many as 13 in the second half before mounting a furious comeback culminated by Branton McCrary‘s three-pointer to tie the game for the Saints at 60 with 44 seconds left in regulation.

The teams traded baskets in overtime before the Chaps took the lead at 68-65 with two minutes remaining. Seward answered back with a triple by Sam Henderson to tie the game at 68 for Seward and took the lead on a Rostyslav Novitskyi basket, 70-68. Henderson sealed the victory with two free throws in the final seconds.

The Saints were lead in scoring by Kyle Cardaci with 15 points and Nika Metskhvarishvili came off the bench to provide 13 points.

They will be back in action tomorrow night to face off against Eastern Oklahoma State College starting at 8 pm in the Greenhouse.