Berkeley defeats Roaring Lions 91-88 in OT

LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. – For a while, it looked like the Roaring Lions were about to start another odyssey back to the national championship game. Fayette came up just short, falling to Berkeley (N.J.) 91-88 in overtime.

The teams played close in the first half, with Fayette taking a seven-point lead on a pair of Matt McKenna (Pittsburgh, Pa.) free throws with 4:11 to play. The Knights went on an 11-1 run from there to take a 30-25 lead with a little over two minutes to play.

A field goal from Luke Williams (Maui, Hawaii) and a pair of free throws from C.J. Gaddis (Brownsville, Pa.) brought the Roaring Lions to within one with 38 second left in the half. Layups by William Morton and Jabree Jackson and a Morton free throw pushed the lead to 33-29.

A layup by Jacob Bronder (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) and a pair of McKenna free throws cut the lead to two with less than a half minute to play. The Roaring Lions committed a costly turnover only a few seconds left before the half, and Morton made them pay, hitting a layup at the buzzer.

Berkeley opened up a 10-point lead five minutes into the half. The Roaring Lions answered with a 13-4 run of their own and when Derek Jones (Brownsville, Pa.) buried a three from the right corner, Fayette led 52-51.

Carl O'Neil's layup made it 76-69 for the Knights. Fayette roared back and McKenna's nifty move on the baseline sent the game into overtime.

In overtime, Fayette took the lead 83-82 thanks to a three-pointer from Darius Mack (Washington, D.C) . The lead continued to see-saw before McKenna's jump shot with 56 seconds to play gave Fayette a two-point lead.

Germain Dukens answered with a layup 12 seconds later and free throws from Hassan Abdullah and Morton gave Berkeley a 91-88 lead. Williams' try for three from the top of the key bounced gonizingly off the front of the rim as time expired.

McKenna paced the Roaring Lions with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Gaddis added 12 and dished ui out six assists.

Williams added 12.

Fayette moves on to the consolation round tomorrow when they face Berkeley (N.Y.) in a rematch of last year's national semifinal. Game time is 1 p.m. in the Maltho Athletic Complex.