By Connor Wilson (@Conman_815)
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — When Budd Clark knocked down a step-back jumper to push the Merrimack lead to five with 30 seconds to play, you just had a sense that the game was all but over.
Sure, coming back while down five points in that period of time wouldn’t be the craziest comeback of all time, but you’d need a lot to go your way and things to go poorly for your opponent.
Fortunately for Sacred Heart, the script fell right into its favor. Amiri Stewart rushed down the floor and knocked down a clutch triple to cut it to two. After Clark missed the front end of a one-and-one, Stewart drove to the lane and drew a foul, knocking down both free throws with two seconds remaining.
The Warriors were a couple of free throws from their star away from locking up a spot in Friday’s MAAC tournament semifinals, but now had to play five more minutes after blowing a late lead.
“At one point, I thought we had it,” Merrimack coach Joe Gallo said. “I give them credit, they fought back.”
After Clark picked up a foul 46 seconds into overtime, another wrinkle was added: All five Merrimack starters had four fouls. Not only were the Warriors in a seemingly preventable overtime, they were any foul call away from losing an important piece with limited depth behind them. How would they respond with practically no room for error?
By allowing zero field goals in overtime, of course.
The Warrior defense turned it up another level despite the foul trouble, still forcing turnovers and altering shots. No play was bigger than when MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Bryan Etumnu stepped up and took a charge when Stewart was coming full steam down the floor, trailing by two with time winding down.
“I was told after replay that it actually ‘was’ a charge,” Gallo said. “So I feel better about that, but I would have taken it either way.”
“A few plays before that, the ref was like, ‘why are you taking a charge?’” Etumnu said. “I’m like, ‘he’s coming full speed at me, so I’m gonna step up and take one.’”
After the charge, Matt Becht iced the game to put the Warriors up four en route to a 66-62 overtime victory over the Pioneers to advance to the semifinals in their first year in the conference.
“We played Sacred Heart so many times over the last six years, they could probably do our prep in their sleep,” Gallo said. “It was going to come down to which team made more plays down the stretch.”
The biggest note from Merrimack is how well it shot the ball from the perimeter. Becht and Devon Savage, both streaky shooters throughout the season, each connected on five triples as a part of a 13-trey night for the Warriors.
“I think it’s tough to beat us when we’re shooting the ball like that,” Becht said. “When we’re making threes and playing with confidence, it just seeps into everything. Tonight, I thought it started with the defense.”
It was a below average night for Clark in the scoring column, but the first team all-MAAC guard grabbed six rebounds and dished out 10 assists while controlling the flow of the game. He also hit some timely shots to halt Pioneer runs on multiple occasions.
“I feel like I can never be sped up,” Clark said. “I just stay calm at all times.”
Prior to joining the MAAC, Merrimack was a member of the Northeast Conference during its short Division I tenure. In the NEC, the conference tournament is held at the higher seed’s home arena, so having to travel to a neutral site and play in Atlantic City is new for the whole program.
“This is my first time at a neutral site,” Gallo said. “We’ve been very fortunate the past two years to play six home playoff games. That’s cool as well, but it doesn’t feel like you’re going to an event. The MAAC does a great job with it and we’re thankful to be a part of it.”
And luckily for Gallo, his stay on the shore will be extended at least two more days. Merrimack is set to take on the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup between Marist and Mount St. Mary’s on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. at Boardwalk Hall.
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