Bartlett outlasts West Aurora in 3 OTs
The Bartlett boys basketball team gave West Aurora a rude welcome back to the Upstate Eight Conference on Friday.
Bartlett High School didn't exist when West Aurora played its last UEC game during the 1996-97 season, but the teams battled like longtime bitter rivals through three overtimes until the host Hawks finally prevailed 86-83.
"I don't know if we're going to top that all year long," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said with a hoarse voice. "Triple overtime, first (conference) game, welcome back West Aurora - this was a great basketball environment."
Tyler Pauletti was fouled on a drive and split 2 free throws to give Bartlett an 83-82 lead with 2:37 left in triple overtime.
The Hawks got the ball back after a missed West Aurora shot and ran the clock down to 1:04 before they were fouled. Jimenez sank 3 of 4 free-throw attempts down the stretch, and Bartlett pulled out the win when West Aurora guard Matt Dunn's 3-point attempt from the left corner was unsuccessful.
Bartlett grabbed the rebound and passed ahead as the final few seconds expired.
"There wasn't much difference either way," West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said. "It was whoever made the last shot, and we didn't make the last one. I was not pleased with our defense. Offensively, I thought we did OK, but we don't normally give up 80 points, though I realize it was three overtimes."
Bartlett (5-0, 1-0 UEC Valley) faced a 52-43 deficit after three quarters, but the Hawks sank 3 of their 10 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and Pauletti tied the game at 61 when he split a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left in regulation.
West Aurora (2-3, 0-1), which played without suspended 6-foot-6 leading scorer Roland Griffin, took a 4-point lead in the first overtime on 4 points from freshman Camron Donatlan, who finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds.
But Bartlett's Ryan DiCanio later scored 4 of his 20 points on back-to-back buckets in the paint to knot the score at 67. The Blackhawks missed 3 shots at the basket in the final seconds to trigger a second overtime.
Again West Aurora built a 4-point lead, this time on a Donatlan inside basket and 2 free throws from senior guard Reggie Jordan, who led his team with 23 points, including four 3-pointers. Again, Bartlett fought back and the teams traded leads on 3-pointers by Bartlett's Tyler Pauletti and Jordan.
The Blackhawks led 80-77 until Jimenez sank a 3-pointer from the corner with 17.3 seconds left to tie the game once more. Bartlett then blocked 2 West Aurora shots to extend the game to a third extra session.
Jimenez sank five 3-pointers to finish with a career-best 23 points.
"I never thought I was going to hit that many threes but it just came to me," Jimenez said. "My friends hit me with some open shots and I was able to knock them down."
"We were down every time and then Rob kept hitting threes down the stretch and we kept making plays," Pauletti said. "Eventually, in the last (overtime) we finally got up and we continued to fight and eventually got the win. It was a long game and it was finally over. It was good to win it."
Senior Tommy Koth scored 18 points and senior Marquis Howard added 15 points for the Blackhawks, who host rival East Aurora on Saturday at 6 p.m.