The Gauchos received a major gut check in the opening round of the playoffs at Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham University on Saturday night. And once again the team turned to its Mr. Reliable, Kemba Walker, with the game on the line.
Walker's three-pointer with 24 seconds to play in regulation forced overtime against Team Takeover, and his driving layup and pair of free throws in the extra period clinched an 85-81 victory.
Things looked bleak in the second half for the 'Chos, who trailed by as many as 10 points, at 70-60 with 4:46 to play, on two free throws by Team Takeover's Scott Machado. After a flurry of late baskets, including a pair of free throws by Darryl Bryant that tied the game at 76-76 with 1:01 to play, Takeover's Quasim Pugh darted through traffic and found Devin Ebanks along the baseline for a lay-in plus the foul for a 79-76 lead with 49 seconds.
On the ensuing Gaucho possession, a broken play resulted in a loose ball, which richocheted out of a pile and found its way into the hands of Walker, who coolly drilled the tying three from the top of the key.
Walker led the Gauchos with 19 points in a typically solid all-around performance. Jordan Theodore added 17, while Bryant tallied 16 (12 in the second half), including a pair of threes that helped the Gauchos climb back into it.
6-foot-6 Bishop Loughlin PF Kevin Phillip gave his team great energy inside, ping-ponging around the paint for 13 points and a couple of spirited dunks, showing the type of fearlessness and activity that helped raise his profile this spring.
Ed Davis led Takeover with 17 points, and newly-minted Indiana commit Ebanks tossed in a relatively quiet 15, but neither could do much to slow the Gauchos' late-game surge. This group has an uncanny knack for winning close games, and this was the type of performance that could propel them deep into the tournament.