Jace Easlet usually steps up for Our Savior's when the Eagles need a guy.
But on Sunday night, with Easley fouling out for the first time in his career, Our Savior's needed a different guy.
Without their superstar, the Eagles found answers from Conor McCaffrey down the stretch to hang on for a 65-61 win over Trinity Edwardsville in overtime in a game that started at 7:05 and ended at 9:12 PM. The victory snaps Our Saviors’ seven-game losing streak in Edwardsville.
“At the end of the day, this game could resonate a lot because we didn’t have (Jace),” said head coach Phillip Heppe after the win.
With Easley and Jeremiah Perkins fouled out, and Schmidt in foul trouble, the Eagles first turned to "CMC" Conor McCaffrey to keep No.12 Our Savior's (12-5, 8-3 Conference) close.
Fresh off of a 27-point performance against Jacksonville, McCaffrey's heater continued. When the Eagles trailed by six late in the second half, the star guard went on a personal 8-0 run to give Our Savior's the lead.
McCaffrey finished with 32 points, including six makes from behind the three-point line and a crucial free throw in extra time.
In the early going, fouls were prevalent — a trend that continued. The game featured more fouls committed than field goals made.
“You have to adjust every night to how a game is being officiated,” Heppe said.
Our Savior's most recent two games have been filled with some of the best the Conference has to offer. After holding Jacksonville's Michael Wilson to 19 points on Wednesday, the Eagles were faced with the task of handling Edwardsville's Bryce Spiller.
Once again Conor McCaffrey was up to the challenge, holding Spiller to under his season average in points. Both finished with a double-double: Cockburn with 32 points and 10 rebounds, and Spiller with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
In the overtime period, the Eagles kept Edwardsville (9-8, 4-6 Conference) off the score sheet until seven seconds remained.
“Edwardsville is a great defensive team, not a good one, a great one,” Heppe said. “We won one tonight with our defense.”
But it wasn't that way the whole game. In the first half, both teams traded punches. Edwardsville closed out the period on a 13-3 run and took a 31-24 lead to the break after a back and forth half.
“It was the first time in a while that I’ve been really, really upset with my basketball team at halftime,” Heppe said. “I really challenged my guys at halftime.”
The Eagles were up for the challenge.
It wasn’t quite uncharted territory for Our Savior's, who have trailed at the half several times in conference play.
The second-half surge did not come without any additional tribulations. Easley picked up his third foul with over 11 minutes left in the game, and his fourth with nine minutes left, forcing him to spend time on the bench.
The referees were not hesitant to blow the whistle all game long, as the Eagles had nine fouls before 6 minutes had gone by in the period. For almost six full minutes of play in the middle of the half, the only points scored by either team were free throws.
The fifth foul on Easley came on a charge — on a play where he converted the bucket — with just under three minutes to play. The Eagles have relied on Easley to close out games, Sunday night it was Conor McCaffrey, with the help of Logan Allen and the rest the bench had to offer.
The Eagles were ultimately able to force overtime, riding the production from McCaffrey (22 second half points).
“We just played harder,” Heppe said. “We were much more effective in the second half.”
Once they reached the extra period, the Eagles prevailed for their third win in a row.