By Paul Gotham
BUFFALO, NY — Jeremiah Williams connected on a 16-footer as the Canisius Golden Griffins defeated the Stony Brook Seawolves in overtime, 60-59.
The senior guard used a slight hesitation move outside the arc to set up the game winner with nine seconds left in the extra period.
“The guy was playing off me,” Williams explained. “I didn’t want to pull up right away. I knew I could take him. I gave him a “hesi” toward the basket. It brought him back. I pulled up. I work on that every day in practice.”
Coming out of an open set, the Griffs used a weave above the arc to create motion. With the shot clock running down, Williams attacked space.
“He had the confidence to get himself open just because we spread it out,” explained Canisius head coach Jim Baron. “It’s just such a different type of offense that we run. It takes a lot of pressure off them.”
It was the Griffs’ third made field goal in the five minute overtime, this after the Griffs did not connect on a field goal outside the paint for the first 16-plus minutes of the second half.
Jamal Reynolds pulled Canisius within one at 57-56 when he finished a drive from the wing early in the extra period. Reynolds notched his first career double-double scoring 11 and adding 17 rebounds including the last four Canisius rebounds in the overtime period. He corralled an offensive board on the next possession and reset the offense allowing Zach Lewis to use a ball screen for a pullup jumper in the lane.
“Jamal getting 17 rebounds is absolutely phenomenal,” Baron stated. “That’s the one thing he does better than anybody I’ve coached in a long time.”
Canisius managed just six field goals in the second half.
“They (Stony Brook) were doing a good job of making it difficult to get the ball inside,” Baron continued. “We opened it up a little bit.”
Lewis drilled a pair of 3-pointers to end the Canisius drought. His second shot gave Canisius a 49-48 edge with 1:22 remaining in regulation.
“We knew it was going to be a rock fight,” said Canisius coach Jim Baron. “They were picked to be number one in their league.”
Carson Puriefoy answered with a layup as the Seawolves regained the lead.
Williams hit a trio of free throws before Jameel Warney converted a pair from the charity stripe to knot the game at 50.
After collecting just three rebounds and five points in the first half, Warney finished with game highs of 18 boards and 19 rebounds. Canisius tried to slow the Stony Brook big man by fronting the post.
“We like when teams front him,” said Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell. “We just throw the ball over the top. He’s really a hard guy to seal. We have counters for everything. He’s seen every defense. He’s seen every front, post double-team. He’s seen it all.”
Warney’s eight offensive rebounds contributed to Stony Brook’s 26-10 advantage in second-chance points.
Canisius led throughout the first half.
Adam Weir drilled a pair of catch-and-shoot threes as the Griffs grabbed its largest lead of the half. The redshirt freshman took and penetrate and kick from Williams for a 14-9 Griffs lead. After Josiah Heath connected on a baseline jump hook, Kassisus Robertson used a hesitation dribble to shake a defender in transition before finding Weir in the left corner for a trey. Canisius led 19-12 with 8:40 to go in the half.
Stony Brook quickly responded.
Rayshaun McGrew hit a jump hook in the lane. Jameel Warney fed Roland Nyama with a high-low lob for two. Deshaun Thrower grabbed a loose ball and finished with a drive from the wing. Carson Puriefoy converted one of two free throws, and the Seawolves trailed, 20-19.
Lewis fed Phil Valenti on a two-on-one to close the half as the Griffs took a 28-23 advantage into the locker room.
Stony Brook shot 19-of-67 (28.4 percent) from the floor for the game.
“They’ve been a good defensive team all year long,” Pikiell noted. “They play in gaps. They’re terrific help defenders. They pressure the ball. They force a lot of turnovers. We had nine in a half. I thought we were heading toward 20.”
Lewis led the Griffs with 16 points.
Puriefoy scored 15 for Stony Brook. Roland Nyama added 11.
The game included seven ties and 12 lead changes.
Williams led the Canisius bench which outscored their counterparts, 21-12. The Griffs also held an 11-2 advantage in fast break points.
Canisius hit 19-of-21 free throws. Stony Brook went 17-of-25 from the line.
Canisius (5-4/2-0) hosts the Patriot League’s Holy Cross on Sunday. A 2 p.m. tip time is scheduled.
Also on Sunday, Stony Brook (5-6) hosts Loyola(MD) for a 2 p.m. start.
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