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Bulldogs Fall in Overtime Thriller

The Dayton Bulldogs dropped the North 2 Group 1 championship game to University 71-64 in overtime on monday night.

 

In a rematch of last year's dramatic North 2 Group 1 championship, both teams refused to lose. But when the final whistle sounded after four quarters and an extra period, it was the Phoenix who were the last team standing.

University was able to control the overtime period to pull ahead of 71-64 in a back and forth battle for the right to play in the Tournament of Champions and be crowned sectional champion. Last season, the Bulldogs earned a 51-50 victory over the then back-to-back sectional champion University squad.

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With the crowd roaring from the opening tip University came out with relentless pressure on both ends and controlled the first quarter. Both teams were playing a physical game early as Dayton picking up five fouls in the first. The Phoenix led 24-12 at the end of the period and appeared set to cruise to an easy victory. Not going away without a fight the Bulldogs finished the first half on a 10-2 run that included six straight Elijah Brown points (15 points, five rebounds) that put the score at 34-28.

Morgan Dixon led all scorers with 24 points and Elijah Brown scored 21 points, including 10 from the free throw line. Andrew Homlish, who kept the Bulldogs within striking distance throughout much of the first half, finished the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

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The forward was on the receiving end of several Anthony Cioffi (eight points, six assists and four rebounds) passes in the second half as the Bulldogs. Cioffi led the way on the defensive end, including a quick 13-3 run sparked by the Dayton defense. The stretch ended with the Bulldogs taking their biggest lead of the game at 41-37 much to the delight of the Dayton Nation.

At the 2:26 mark of the third quarter, Dayton received four free throws thanks to two University technical fouls (one for hanging on the rim and the second came against a coach after the initial call). Jared Clayton (nine points, four rebounds, three steals) missed all four free throws but more then made up for it with stellar play on both ends and several key baskets down the stretch for the Bulldogs. 

Neither team was able to gain an advantage in the fourth period as the largest lead throughout was three points. Both teams were unable to convert their chance in the last twenty seconds and the game was headed to overtime knotted at 58. 

The Bulldogs struck first in overtime as a Clayton bucket gave them a two-point lead with 3:30 to play. University took over from there as the Phoenix spent the next two minutes on an 8-0 run to pull ahead 66-60.

Dayton got within two at 66-64 after a pair of Homlish free throws with 1:07 left on the clock but University would not be denied and finished the game on a 5-0 run as they were crowned North 2 Group 1 champions.

For the Bulldogs, they finished the season on an impressive 16-3 stretch that saw them come within a game of the Tournament of Champions for a second conescutive season after a rocky start.  

 

 

         1        2       3       4     OT FINAL Dayton (19-8)       12       16       17      13       6      64 University (18-12)       24       10       11      13      13      71

Dayton- Brown-15, Cioffi-8, Clayton-9, Homlish-18, Lyna-4, Rogers-10

University- Brown-21, Dixon-24, Foster-13, Henry-2, Kelley-3, Murray-2

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