You never know what you are going to get in a rivalry game.
Overtime is always possible when Kapaun Mt. Carmel and Bishop Carroll meet for the twice annual Holy War, but five overtimes was unbelievable.
After sophomore Thomas O'Connor knocked down a three-point shot inside one minute to play in the fifth overtime period, and Timmy Hamilton knocked down a few clutch free throws, the Crusaders walked away with a 80-76 win over Bishop Carroll.
Bishop Carroll's Christian Smith led all scorers with 19 points, Logan Bullinger followed with 17. Bullinger had a great statement dunk in the third overtime but it was just one play.
Damien Akao led Kapaun (4-1) with 16 points, followed by Toby Baxter who dropped in 15 and O'Connor had 12. O'Connor didn't have much Varsity playing time before tonight's game when Kapaun head coach John Cherne put him in out of necessity.
Kapaun erased an 11-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation to force the first overtime, tied at 52. The Crusaders outscored Bishop Carroll (2-2) 20-12 in the fourth period to keep their hopes alive.
Neither team wanted to give much ground in the first overtime period, at one point Baxter solitarily dribbled the ball at his coaches instructions. The deadlock held on for a while and eventually pushed the game to a third overtime, tied at 64. Hamilton made, maybe the play of the game, when baxter missed a three-point shot from the top of the key, banking off the glass and straight into Hamilton's hands underneath the basket. Quick thinking (and moving) Hamilton put the shot up and the ball went through the hoop right as the buzzer sounded, sending us to the fourth.
O'Connor emerged in the periods and made some clutch shots but none better than in the fifth and final overtime period. With Kapaun down 74-73, he rolled to the top of the key and knocked down another three-pointer that gave the hosts a 76-74 lead. They never trailed again.
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Senior Hannah Lienhard dropped in 17 points and Sydney Kuhn guided the Lady Crusaders in Kapaun's 60-40 win over Bishop Carroll, Friday night.
Kuhn had 16 points against the Golden Eagles (1-3) in a relatively easy contest. KMC led Bishop Carroll 38-16 at halftime and never waivered in the second half.
Kapaun (5-0) remains on top of the 5A girls rankings.
