Saints on Cloud Nine After Overtime Win

For the third time in five years, the Seward County Saints are in the Region 6 Championship game. Seward held off Jayhawk West rival Cloud 69-66 in overtime Monday night in the semifinals of the Region 6 Tournament. The Saints face the Cowley Tigers in the title game Tuesday night at 8 p.m. in Wichita’s Hartman Arena for the right to advance to the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson.

A big three point play late by Daveon Boardingham propelled the Saints. Cloud’s Devon Branch put up a three in the closing seconds but missed. The ball deflected to Cloud’s Richard Carter who swished a possible tying three pointer. Officials checked the monitor and concluded the shot came after the horn sounded.

The Saints defense saved their enigmatic offense again. Seward made just seven second half free throws but held the Thunderbirds to 34 percent shooting and 1-17 from three point range. The conference’s leading scorer at 20 a game Devon Branch managed seven points on 1-9 shooting.

The Jayhawk West champs bolted to a 12-4 lead and led 38-29 at halftime. They took a 42-29 lead early in the second half for their biggest lead of the night before Cloud made their gradual comeback. The T-Birds tied the score at 53 with 6:06 remaining and took their first lead at 55-53 with 5:50 to play. Cloud would lead by four before the Saints rallied. The score was tied at 60 at the end of regulation after Seward’s Trey Starks layup attempt was blocked and Richard Carter’s halfcourt heave hit the rim at the end of regulation.

A three point play by Daveon Boardingham with six seconds left gave Seward the thee point lead in O.T. An Irvin Hollinger three gave Seward a 64-62 lead in overtime.

Seward faces Cowley for the fifth straight year at Wichita’s Region 6 Tournament. Seward has won three of the four meetings including the semis last year and the championship in 2008.

The Tigers are looking for their first region title since 1957. The Saints won the region in 1985, 1995, 1998, and 2008. They lost region title games in 2002 and last year.