Win controversial, but Lions will take it
By Drake Skleba
Controversy clouded St. Viator's 58-56 overtime quarterfinal win against Stevenson.
Viator's 6-foot-4 sophomore C Chris Myjak's put-back basket at the buzzer was the difference. But it was apparent to everyone in the gym, except the striped-shirted people who mattered most, that the ball was clearly still in Myjak's hand as the buzzer went off.
Stevenson head coach Pat Ambrose was incensed as he left the court with his heart-broken Patriots.
"Hey, the shot was called good by the officials," said a jubilant St.Viator head coach Joe Majowski. "Therefore it was good."
The miscall marred an all-out war between two very good high school hoops squads.
Viator (11-2) led 23-15 at the half. Stevenson rallied in the third quarter behind eight points from senior G Jeff Levitt (18 points) to close to 38-37 after three quarters.
The game featured 11 lead changes or ties in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Stevenson (8-3) clearly grabbed the momentum as St. Viator started turning the ball over. Levitt put Stevenson up 39-38 with 7:10 in regulation.
A Myjak basket put the Lions back up 40-39 with 6:11 left.
Stevenson sophomore G Mike Fleming (five points) buried a trey that put his squad up up 42-40.
St. Viator missed eight consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter.
Stevenson senior G Nate Johnson's drive with 0:33 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 51. Johnson had seven points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter.
In the overtime, a Myjak lay up gave the Lions a 53-51 lead at the 2:42 mark.
Stevenson junior F Brion Wood scored his only hoop of the night to tie the score at 53. Fellow Patriot Johnson (15 points, 18 rebounds) hit a free throw, but then fouled out with 1:23 left.
St. Viator's senior Julian Sipiora nailed two free throws and put the Lions up 55-54 with 1:04 left. Teammate McLoughlin would add a freebie, before Stevenson's Levitt tied things up at 56 on bucket with 20 seconds left in overtime.
St. Viator ran the clock down to 0:13 before it called a time out. Sipiora drove and launched a shot that missed. Myjak grabbed the rebound and banked in what was counted as the deciding basket.
"It felt great to get the game winner tonight," said Myjak (who scored 14 and tallied six boards. "I had a good game tonight, but I must shoot free throws better. This was a big win in an awesome game."
Added Viator coach Majowski: "This was a huge win for us. The kids really battled and we will really benefit from this victory."
St. Viator seniors Richard McLoughlin and Jack Etchingham added 15 and 12 points respectively.
Lion 6-foot-1 senior G Alan Aboona suffered a broken nose in the game. He is expected to be out of action for four weeks.
