SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Dec. 9, 2004 – Springfield College junior forward Mike DeCesar had 11 points and 11 rebounds, including three boards in overtime, as the Pride stunned 13th-ranked Trinity (Conn.), 77-75, in a non-conference game tonight in Blake Arena.
The Pride, which improves to 6-1 overall, has won its last four games as it heads into Saturday’s home game against No. 7 Williams. Junior guard Derek Yvon led all scorers with 22 points, including nine in overtime. Sophomore guard Anthony Pizzo had 12 points and five assists in the victory, and junior forward Joel Aponte recorded 12 points and eight rebounds.
For the Bantams (7-2), who entered tonight’s contest ranked 13th in the latest Division III national poll, senior guard John Halas had 16 points.
With the score tied at 61-61, the Pride opened overtime with a 9-3 run, with Yvon scoring six of the nine points, to take a 70-63 lead with 1:04 left. Trinity responded with a 9-4 surge, capped by sophomore guard Kino Clarke’s three-pointer with :10 left, to close the gap to 74-72. Yvon hit two free throws to give SC a four-point lead (76-72) with :07 to play, but Trinity’s Clarke hit a wild three-pointer with :01 on the clock to make it a 76-75 game. Pizzo converted one-of-two free throws to close out the scoring.
The Pride led by as many as eight with 16:01 to play in regulation, but Trinity erased the 45-37 deficit with a 15-4 run over the next 8:25 to take a 52-49 lead with 7:36 remaining. Trinity’s Clarke drilled a three-pointer to give the Bantams their first lead since they led 12-11 in the first half. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, and at 61-61 with time running down, Aponte seemingly won the game when he put back a Pizzo miss at the buzzer. The officials ruled, however, that Aponte did not get the shot off before the horn sounded and the game went into overtime.