Notre Dame Gets a Surprise in Overtime, Then 61-59 Loss

The Expected took a beating on Friday night.

When setting up for the last shot in a key game situation, a team wants its best player to take the shot. Right?

But in a key Mission League contest between Notre Dame and Bishop Montgomery highs, neither team was able to get the ball to its best player for the winning shot.

But only Notre Dame was upset about it.

Bishop Montgomery’s Jason Allred, who had only six points in regulation, nailed a three-point attempt with 15.2 seconds remaining in overtime to beat Notre Dame, 61-59.

“I don’t think anyone in the stands was expecting that,” Notre Dame Coach Mick Cady said.

Bishop Montgomery did not set up Andre English, who led all scorers with 23 points, or Jayson Sanders, the team’s top two scorers, for the shot.

A few minutes earlier, with the score tied in regulation, 54-54, and Notre Dame looking for the final shot, the Knights passed up senior Monte Marcaccini.

Center Tom Stillwell took an open 10-footer, which he missed, sending the game to overtime.

Marcaccini, who finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, said he had no regrets about the shot selection.

“Stillwell had a good look at the basket,” Marcaccini said. “You can’t ask for much more than that.”

Stillwell also played one of his best games of the season. He scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He had a chance to redeem himself on the final shot of overtime.

Notre Dame had the ball out of bounds, under Bishop Montgomery’s basket, with 0.5 seconds to play. Glen Carson lobbed a pass over the rim. Stillwell, who is 6-foot-8, got a hand on the ball and tipped it, but missed.

The loss all but drops Notre Dame (18-6, 9-3) out of the race for the Mission League championship and virtually seals the title for Bishop Montgomery (19-2, 11-1).

Both teams have two games remaining. Bishop Montgomery’s are against Alemany and Harvard-Westlake, two of the worst teams in the league.

“They’ll win unless their bus gets a flat tire on the way to the game,” Cady said.

Notre Dame, which blew an eight-point lead starting the fourth quarter, got a strong effort from point guard Craig Johnson, who scored a season-high 22 points.