Breslin Sinks Game-Winning Free Throws with One Second Left in OT

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Senior guard Kevin Breslin (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) converted a conventional three-point play to force overtime and sunk the game-winning free throws with one second left in the extra period to give host Washington College an 84-82 overtime win over visiting Gettysburg in a thrilling Centennial Conference men's basketball game this afternoon inside Cain Athletic Center.  

The Shoremen (8-5 overall, 4-2 Centennial) held a 67-60 lead with under two minutes to go in regulation before the Bullets (5-7, 2-3) ran off seven points in 28 seconds to even the score on a jumper by Sean Gordon with 1:07 remaining. After an offensive foul on Washington's next possession, Brendan Trelease completed a 10-0 run for Gettysburg by knocking down a three-pointer with just under 25 seconds remaining to give the Bullets their first lead of the second half at 70-67. Breslin drove from the left baseline, scored and was fouled with 14.7 seconds left in regulation on Washington's next trip down the court. He sank the free throw to level the score at 70-70. Joe Emerusabe had a jumper go off the rim at the buzzer for Gettysburg as the two teams headed for overtime.

Gettysburg won the jump ball to start overtime and Emerusabe scored off a feed from Trelease four seconds in to give the Bullets a quick lead.  The Shoremen scored the next four points on back-to-back Breslin lay-ups, the second coming off a back-court steal, to regain the lead at 74-72 with 4:13 to go. Gettysburg's Benjamin Constable and Washington senior forward Chris Olsen (Ellicott City, MD/Mount St. Joseph) traded buckets on the next four possessions before the Bullets' Alex Zurn tied the score at 78-78 on a fast-break lay-up with 1:47 to go. Olsen scored on a put-back with 1:18 to go to put the Shoremen in front, 80-78, but a a pair of free throws by Gordon with 1:03 left knotted the score at 80-80.

Olsen put the Shoremen in front at 82-80 with a lay-up with 41 seconds remaining and again Gettysburg countered as Zurn scored on a jumper in the paint with 30 seconds remaining. Olsen's bucket completed a string of eight straight Washington points scored by the forward.

Washington called timeout with 23 seconds left and again with nine seconds to play. Breslin missed a lay-up on the ensuing play, but the ball went out of bounds off Gettysburg.  On the ensuing play, Breslin drove the lane as time ticked off the clock and was fouled by Constable with one second left. Breslin knocked down both free throws and intercepted a long pass by Trelease on the ensuing inbounds to give the Shoremen the 84-82 win.

Gettysburg started the game hot, converting six of their first eight shots from the field in the game and led by as many as six points in the first half, but cooled off considerably, shooting 4-for-18 from the field the rest of the period. Washington shot 50% from the field in the opening period and took a 33-30 lead into the intermission. Other than a 69-second period during which the score was tied, Washington led throughout the second half until the Bullets' big run. 

Breslin and Olsen accounted for the Shoremen's final 17 points of the game. Breslin finished with a career-high 10 assists to go along with 16 points and a career-high tying six steals. Olsen, who was hampered by early foul trouble, shot 8-for-10 from the field and scored a team-best 17 points, eight of them coming in overtime.

Senior guard Sal Schittino (Ellicott City, MD/Loyola Blakefield) netted 16 points for the Shoremen and knocked down four of his seven three-point attempts. Junior forward Tony Hawkins (Mt. Ephraim, NJ/Haddon Township) scored 12 points for Washington, while sophomore forward Kevin Cunningham (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) added 10. 

Constable led all players with 23 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9-for-12 from the field and 5-for-6 at the charity stripe. Zurn added 17 points, while Gordon scored 14 and Trelease netted 10. 

Both teams shot well in the game and even better in overtime. The Bullets were 30-of-55 from the field in the game, including a perfect 5-for-5 mark in overtime. The Shoremen shot 32-of-60 from the field in the contest, including a 6-for-8 performance in overtime. The Bullets held a 37-24 advantage on the boards, but turned the ball over 28 times to Washington's 19.  All told, there were nine lead changes and 16 ties in the game. 

The win for the Shoremen was their first home victory over the Bullets since a 77-68 win on January 13, 2004, ending a run of seven straight Gettysburg wins in Chestertown.

The Shoremen return to action Thursday with an 8:00 p.m. Centennial Conference game at Dickinson.