Wittenberg 66, Ohio Wesleyan 54

Feb. 8, 2006

Junior post Ben Chojnacki (Medina) scored to cap a 9-1 run that sliced a 15-point deficit to 7 with just under 3 minutes to play, but Wittenberg held on to take a North Coast Athletic Conference win over Ohio Wesleyan on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

The Tigers had taken a 59-44 lead on a 3-pointer by Daniel Russ with 6:22 left in regulation time when the Bishops mounted their comeback. Senior wing Andy Warnock (Delaware/Hayes) drilled a 3-pointer to start the ball rolling. Junior wing Ted Uritus (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled, and hit one of 2 free throws to bring the Bishops within 59-48. After a Gregg Hill free throw for Wittenberg, junior guard Matt Shirer (Medina) buried a 3-pointer to make it a 60-51 game, and Chojnacki followed with a lay-in to slice the deficit to 60-53 with 2:54 to play.

After the teams traded free throws, Hill hit a jumper from the lane, and after a Bishop miss, Hill was fouled and hit both free throws to stretch the Wittenberg lead to 65-54 with 1:07 remaining.

Ohio Wesleyan took an early lead on Chojnacki's jumper on the Bishops' first possession of the game, but Wittenberg came back with an 11-2 run, with Daniel Russ scoring all 11 points on a pair of lay-ins, a 3-pointer, a jumper from the baseline and a jumper from the lane.

The Tigers would lead by as many as 11 points, that at 20-9 on Kenny Brady's jumper midway through the first half.

The Bishops rallied to within 20-16 on a 3-pointer and a jumper by freshman guard Tim Patten (Mechanicsburg) and a bucket by sophomore post Dustin Rudegeair (Yellow Springs). Ohio Wesleyan still trailed by 4 points at 29-25 before Russ closed out the first half with a basket for a 31-25 Wittenberg lead at the break.

Wittenberg opened up the lead with an 8-0 run early in the second half, with Dane Borchers contributing a 3-point play and Hill burying a 3-pointer and a lay-in to give the Tigers a 42-29 lead with 14:02 left, setting the stage for Ohio Wesleyan's comeback.

Chojnacki and Uritus shared the Bishop lead with 10 points apiece. Sophomore post Jesse Jean (Alexandria, Va./Hyde (Conn.) School) grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds and senior guard Ross Rybarczyk (Oberlin/Elyria Catholic) led the Bishops with 3 assists.

Russ led Wittenberg with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Kenny Brady added 13 points and Hill finished with 12 points.

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