No. 6 Cougars down EVC in 2 OTs
Dec. 4—OAKLAND CITY — If the 3A No. 6 North Daviess Cougars (3-0) were looking for a test, they got one at Oakland City University on Saturday. The Cougars battled to a double-OT, 67-66 win at the University Johnson Center against highly-ranked Class A Evansville Christian. In a game that went down to the wire three times, ND needed all of senior Jaylen Mullen's 28 points in his first game at his future home at OCU, as he had a personal duel with EVC's Josiah Dunham who had 31 for the Eagles.
For the Cougars, Lance Wilson also had a solid night with 20, while brother Logan added nine. The Stickles twins also combined for 10, with a pair of high-energy dunks from Brendan Stickles.
"Our guys are all heart and guts and they just refuse to lose. Give credit were it is due, Evansville is a top three or four team in Class A and they are the real deal," said ND coach Brent Dalrymple. "We did some uncharacteristic things with turnovers and missed shots. We had several chances to ice it earlier."
The Cougars hit just one of their first five shots, as Mullen made a lay up to open the scoring. However, Logan Wilson scored and Mullen hit a pair of treys and the Cougs quickly went up 8-2. Mullen added a final basket, but Evansville rallied back to cut it to 10-7 to finish off the first quarter,
The Eagles tied the game at 10-all, but Logan Wilson then added a basket. Brendan Stickles had a dunk, followed by a Lance Wilson basket to make t 16-13. EVC's Dunham stayed hot with a bucket and a trey, but Lance Wilson hit a trey in the corner to push momentum back in the Cougars direction. Mullen turned a steal into a 3-point play, while Lance Wilson then added a circus up-and-under. Mullen finished off the half with a trey and ND had a 10-point, 27-17 lead.
Braden Stickles added a pair of free throws early in the third to keep the lead at 10. Mullen posted his second trey of the game, as the Cougars took a 34-21 lead, their largest of the game. EVC was able to cut it back to eight (34-26) and eventually seven. Kayden Nabb posted an EVC bucket, followed by free throws that cut it to 36-33 at the end of the third quarter, as EVC outscored the Cougars 16-7.
Mullen continued to show his athleticism with an up-and-under of his own to help ND to a 41-35 margin. Wilson added a basket and two more free throws to give ND some breathing room. Stickles added his second dunk of the night, but EVC wouldn't go away and cut it back to three, 47-44.
Lance Wilson added two more free throws, but Dunham answered with a trey with 1:25 left. Dunham added an "and-1" to take a 50-49 lead. EVC moved out to a three point lead. Mullen pulled ND within one, and a rebound allowed Mullen to tie it at 52-52 and send it to OT.
Stickles opened the OT with a layup while Mullen moved the lead to four, but Dunham found a way to keep EVC alive with a basket.
Lance Wilson made two from the stripe to give ND a 58-54 lead with :28 left, but Dunham tied it at 59-all with seven seconds left and the game went to second OT.
The Wilson brothers traded baskets with EVC to make it 63-all in the second OT. EVC went up 66-65 on a trey, but Brendan Stickles got the lead back on two free throws, 67-66 which is how the game would end, inspite of a final chnce for EVC.
ND host North Central on Friday and travels to Southport on Saturday.
