Guy Neal picks up 151st win; Brad Boyles leads Beavers with 19 points in 76-71 overtime win
By Ben Risinger, SID
December 29, 2003
The Bluffton College men’s basketball team (6-3) beat Lake Erie (3-8) 76-71 in overtime Monday night. The win advances the Beavers to the championship game of the McDonald’s of Bluffton Holiday Tournament. Bluffton will play Goshen at 3 p.m. with Millikin playing Lake Erie at 1 p.m. in the consolation game.
The game was a close one as the lead was exchanged five times and the score tied eight times in the contest. Going into the locker room the Beavers held a 40-28 advantage over The Storm. To start the second half Lake Erie tightened the score to 48-48 all. The lead would never eclipse four for either team for the rest of the game as the Beavers found themselves up 67-64 with 10 seconds left in regulation. A quick three pointer by Lake Erie’s Trevor Replogle with one second left tied the game at 67 all sending it into overtime. In the overtime period Bluffton controlled possession of the ball as the Beavers went up to lead the entire time.
Leading Bluffton was senior Brad Boyles (Berne, Ind./South Adams) with 19 points for the night. Sophomores Scott Bergman (Elmore/Woodmore), Eric Sweet (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Brett Mitchell (Avon Lake/Avon Lake) all threw in 10 points to finish the double digit scoring. Freshman Michael Anthony (Ohio City/Delphos St. Johns) had a career high 11 rebounds which led the team.
Head coach Guy Neal picked up his 151st win which makes him the winningest men’s basketball coach in Bluffton College history.
