Saints rally to beat Chaps in overtime thriller to open season

LIBERAL, Kan. -- The Saints basketball team rallied from a double-digit, second-half deficit to beat the Midland College Chaparrals, 74-70, in an overtime thriller in its regular-season opener on Friday at the Greenhouse in the Pizza Hut Classic.

Seward trailed as many as 13 in the second half before mounting a furious comeback culminated by Branton McCrary's three-pointer to tie the game for the Saints at 60 with 44 seconds left in regulation.

The teams traded baskets in overtime before the Chaps took the lead at 68-65 with two minutes remaining. Seward answered back with a triple by Sam Henderson to tie the game at 68 for Seward and after a Midland turnover, took the lead on a Rostyslav Novitskyi basket, 70-68. Roy Clarke and Henderson sealed the victory with four free throws in the final seconds.

The Saints were led in scoring by Kyle Cardaci with 15 points and Nika Metskhvarishvili, who came off the bench, added 13 points.

Kirk Smith had 18 points and Derrick Ogechi knocked in 15 points for Midland, which fell to 0-1.

Seward will be back in action to face off against Eastern Oklahoma State College at 8 pm on Saturday in the Greenhouse.