McDaniel works long and hard for Provident Championship

BALTIMORE, Md. – Tournament MVP Brett Foelber (Sykesville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) recorded five of his game high-tying 23 points in the third overtime period and a critical steal in the final six seconds to lead McDaniel to an 85-84 victory over Hood in the championship game of the 2007 Provident Pride of Maryland tournament in non-conference men’s basketball action on Sunday.

Foelber hit on all four of his 3-point attempts, including one on the opening possession of the third overtime, and the Green Terror (3-0) converted three of its nine triples in the three overtimes – the most played by the squad since a 114-112 win over Mary Washington on Dec. 2, 2001.

Jesse Gutekunst led the Blazers (3-2) with 23 points and a tournament-record 25 rebounds to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.

Ryan Finch (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon) and Miguel Jones (Baltimore, Md./North County) contributed 20 and 11 points, respectively, to join Foelber on the all-tournament team and give McDaniel its first 3-0 start since 1986-87.

After Foelber hit the first five points of the final five-minute period, Gutekunst converted back-to-back dump-down passes to pull Hood back within 83-82.

After three straight turnovers and a missed shot, Gutekunst calmly sank two free throws interrupted by a Green Terror timeout with 28.8 seconds to give the Blazers an 84-83 lead.

A Finch fadeaway from 12 feet out on the right side with 15.2 seconds showing to turn the one-point deficit into a one-point advantage.

Hood had a chance, inbounding from under the basket with 5.3 seconds to play, but Foelber knocked the ball away from Mike McCarrick to seal the tournament championship.

Finch took the opening tip and went straight to the rim for a layup just five seconds into the game, helping McDaniel open up a 6-2 advantage before three and a half minutes elapsed.

Five points from Junghans keyed a 6-2 response that knotted the game at the 14-minute mark.

Deadlocked at 12 with 9:30 to play in the opening half, the Green Terror tallied seven of the next nine points, capped by a Foelber 3-pointer – the squad’s only trey of the half – to open the largest advantage for either team at 19-14.

Four Junghans free throws pulled Hood within 19-18 at the 5:51 mark before a Mark McGlone triple nearly four minutes later gave the Blazers their largest lead of the half, 25-23.

Chad Arrington (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe with 1:55 to play to cut the deficit to one at the break.

After Foelber gave McDaniel a 31-27 lead with 16:08 to play in the second half, Hood countered with a 12-1 run to take the largest lead for either team at 40-32 with 11:03 to play in the period.

Seven straight Green Terror points cut the deficit to 40-39.

Trailing 42-41, Kevin Henry (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) and Robert Koebke (Silver Spring, Md./St. John’s) hit back-to-back layups and Jones drained a 3-pointer to give McDaniel a 46-42 lead.

After a second half with three ties and nine lead changes, both teams had a chance to win in regulation but the Green Terror missed three straight front ends of 1-and-1 opportunities and McGlone hit the first of two free throws with 9.6 seconds remaining to tie the game at 52 and force overtime.

Trailing 56-54, Finch rattled home a 3-pointer with 3:58 showing before McGlone hit a pair of layups to give Hood a 60-57 lead just 47 seconds later.

After Jones banked home a trey from the top of the key and converted the ensuring free throw, McDaniel led 61-60 and a Finch 3-pointer pushed the lead to four.

Gutekunst hit a pair of free throws and Anthony Bennett hit his only 3-pointer of the game to give the Blazers a 65-64 lead with 1:21 showing.

After being fouled with six seconds on the shot clock, Arthur Clayton hit the second of two free throws with 13.8 seconds on the clock to stretch the lead to two.

With no timeouts, Finch drive the lane and converted a finger roll with 0.4 seconds to play and force a second extra session.

Trailing 70-68 with 4:24 to play in the second overtime, it became the Bennett and Foelber show.

Bennett hit the final eight points of the session for Hood while Foelber had five points. Chris Prior (Westminster, Md./Westminster) added four points en route to a 77-72 McDaniel lead.

Jones hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it a 78-76 lead but Bennett hit two free throws with 13.5 seconds to play, forcing the third overtime.

The Green Terror returns to action when it opens the Centennial Conference schedule at home against Swarthmore on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m.