ST. DAVIDS, Pa.--Eastern University Men's Basketball kept the season and the careers of six seniors alive as the Eagles rallied to beat the DeSales University Bulldogs 68-66 on Saturday.
With the win, the 15-10 (8-6 Freedom) Eagles edged the Bulldogs (8-6 Freedom) for a playoff spot in what was a "win-and-you're-in" game. Because FDU-Florham (8-6 Freedom) defeated Delaware Valley College on Saturday, FDU-Florham earned the final playoff spot, giving Eastern the No. 3 seed and leaving DeSales on the outside looking in.
Coach Stewart said he was ecstatic for the chance for his team to keep playing after all they've been through this season. "They put so much work in during the season," he said. "We struggled a bit in the last few weeks, so it's great to get a win like this--a come-from-behind win--and prove to people that we can win a close game again and get the monkey off our backs."
Eastern trailed by 10 points with 7:30 to go in the second half. Over the next four minutes, the Eagles outscored the Bulldogs 10-1, with layups by Kyle Malloy and Martin Soaries and two 3-pointers by Mike Donatoni. The 10-1 run brought Eastern to within one, 56-55.
The teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, but Eastern had yet to take the lead in the second half.
With 33 seconds to go, Martin Soaries sliced through the lane, made a basket and drew the foul with the chance for the 3-point play. A made free throw by Soaries would have tied the game at 65, however, Soaries' free throw rimmed out. Eastern's Dan Werth grabbed the ball in what might have been the most important offensive rebound of the season. He immediately dished it to Mike Donatoni. Donatoni promptly launched what Coach Stewart dubbed the biggest shot of Mike's life. Donatoni's 3-pointer rattled in and Eastern claimed a 67-65 lead.
"He stuggled early in the first half," Stewart said. "I told him at halftime, 'Just keep shooting the ball, it's going to go in.'"
The Bulldogs then ran down the clock, looking for an open shot. With nine seconds left, Bulldogs guard Mike Coleman received a high double-screen at the top of the arc and fired a wide-open 3-pointer that threatened to ruin the Eagles' comeback. With the Eastern crowd holding its collective breath, Coleman's shot rolled in and then out. Soaries grabbed the rebound and was instantly fouled. Soaries sank the first to give Eastern the 68-65 lead. However, he missed the second, giving the Bulldogs a final chance.
Instead of letting the Bulldogs shoot a 3-pointer to tie, Whipple fouled Coleman in the backcourt with three seconds left. Coleman made the first and missed the second. The rebound bounced out of bounds off the Eagles, so with 1.4 seconds left, the Bulldogs had one last chance to end the Eagles season. Coleman's errant pass sailed into the back court, and teammate Bob Zanneo grabbed it, turned and heaved a fifty-foot shot that hit the front of the rim as time expired.
The Eagles had done it. They had succesfully come back from a 15-point second half deficit to beat the Bulldogs and earn the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. Not bad for a team picked seventh of eight teams in the league pre-season poll.
On a day honoring Eastern's seniors, seniors Collin Whipple, Mike Donatoni and Martin Soaries scored all but 13 of the team's points. Whipple sank a game-high 27 points, Donatoni netted 18 and Soaries added 10.
"Collin and Mike, neither one was going to let us lose that game," Stewart said. "I told the guys before the game, 'Whatever happens just make sure you don't have any regrets. You go back into that locker room and know that you left everything you have on the court.'"
Donatoni shot 3-for-3 from 3-point range in the final eight minutes of the game. As the team, the Eagles shot 66.7 percent in those final eight minutes (compared to 40.7 percent for the entire game).
The Eagles protected the ball, committing just seven turnovers compared to the Bulldogs' 16.
The Eagles' playoff run begins Wednesday with the Freedom Conference Semifinals at Wilkes University. The Eagles defeated the Colonels on the road earlier this season, but lost to them at home. The game begins at 7 pm.
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