One step from state: St. Edward slips past Harding in OT, 77-75

By Pete Mollica

A controversial buzzer-
beater cost the Raiders a trip to Columbus.

CLEVELAND — All season long Warren Harding has used its quickness on defense to create steals and easy layups. Sunday the Raiders were beaten at their own game.

Lakewood St. Edward’s Frankie Dobbs stole the ball in the backcourt with just eight seconds remaining and scored a layup, giving the Eagles a 77-75 come-from-behind victory in overtime at the Division I boys regional basketball championship game at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center.

It was a disappointing end to an outstanding season for Warren Harding (23-2), which held a 13-point lead at halftime and still led by eight points with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.

The Raiders, ranked No. 6 in the final Associated Press poll, and coach Steve Arnold were left wondering if the season should have ended.

Warren Harding held a 71-68 lead with just 6.2 seconds remaining in regulation when Dobbs made a 3-point basket at the buzzer.

Arnold felt that the shot came after the buzzer, but none of the three officials made a call to nullify the basket.

“I was watching and the red light on the backboard went off while the ball was still in his hands,” Arnold said. “One of the three had to have seen it, but no call was made.”

St. Edward coach Eric Flannery said he wasn’t watching the ball.

“I was watching the officials and when none of them made a call I knew that it had to be good,” Flannery said.

The Raiders had a final opportunity to tie the score in the final seconds of overtime. Junior Desmar Jackson drove the lane and took a shot with one second remaining that missed and Chris Henderson was there to tip in the miss, but just a second too late.

“I guess you can say we were about one-tenth of a second away from going to Columbus and the state tournament,” said Arnold.

Instead it will be the Eagles (21-4) who will play No. 4 Cincinnati St. Xavier (23-2) in the state semifinals Friday night at Value City Arena in Columbus.

“We definitely let this one get away from us,” Arnold said. “Our goal was to come out attacking the basket from the start and we did that very well early on.”

The Eagles lost 6-foot-10 center Tom Pritchard to fouls with nearly three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, forcing Flannery to change his defense.

“We just had to go to a zone because we couldn’t match up with them inside and tried to force them to shoot jump shots from outside,” Flannery said.

“Harding still might be the best team in the state,” Flannery added. “I don’t know how we won, call it divine intervention or something, but I think that because we were able to come from behind in our last two wins, these kids just never gave up.”

Warren Harding led by as many as 17 points (30-13) in the first half and held a 40-27 edge at halftime.

The Eagles rallied to within four points, 51-47, entering the fourth quarter.

Harding opened up a 58-50 lead with 5:50 remaining, but the Eagles hit three consecutive 3-pointers to take a one-point lead.

The Raiders rallied, outscoring St. Edward 8-2 for a 67-61 lead with 2:15 to go, but Dobbs scored eight of the Eagles’ final 10 points, including the 3 at the buzzer, to force overtime.

The score was tied at 73 and 75 in overtime before a St. Edward turnover gave Harding the ball with 17.8 seconds remaining. That’s when Dobbs stole the pass and made the layup.

Jackson led the Raiders with 21 points, while Henderson added 16 and Sheldon Brogdon 15. Damian Eargle had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Conor Tilow led St. Edward with 21 points and Dobbs finished with 20.

mollica@vindy.com