Ohio Wesleyan 67, Albion 59

Dec. 29, 2007

Senior guard Casey Teeters (Westerville/Columbus St. Charles) and junior wing Mitch Noggle (Dublin/Coffman) scored 5 points apiece during a 14-2 run that gave the Bishops the lead for good, and Ohio Wesleyan held Albion at bay during the second half to hold on for a win in the championship game of the Smokey Ballenger Classic, hosted by Otterbein College on Saturday in Westerville.

Junior wing Kyle Holliday (Van Wert) opened the game's scoring with a lay-in, but Albion answered with 8 straight points, including a pair of baskets by Drew Yancey, for an 8-2 lead.

The Britons still led, 14-9, on a 3-pointer by D.J. Mocini with 11:49 left in the first half when the Bishops took off on their run.

Noggle started the spurt with a 3-pointer, then Noggle and Teeters hit lay-ins before Teeters sank a 3-pointer that gave Ohio Wesleyan a 19-14 lead.

Mocini drove for a lay-in to end the Britons' 6-minute scoring drought, but Ohio Wesleyan countered with baskets by Holliday and senior post Jesse Jean (Alexandria, Va./Hyde (Conn.) School) for a 23-16 lead with 4:46 left in the first half.

Jean's basket would represent Ohio Wesleyan's final bucket of the period, but Albion could muster only a Mocini lay-in, and the Bishops took a 24-18 halftime lead on a free throw by junior wing Kyle Miller (Delaware/Hayes).

The Bishops threatened to pull away during the second half, stretching the lead to 9 points on a pair of free throws from senior post Dustin Rudegeair (Yellow Springs) that made it a 41-32 game, then on a 3-pointer by senior post Ryan Rozak (Fairview Park/Fairview) that gave the Bishops a 44-35 lead, but both times, Albion answered with 3-pointers, first by Mocini and then by Andrew Holms.

Ohio Wesleyan still led, 54-46, after sophomore guard Robby Gardiner (Dublin/Coffman) buried a 3-pointer with 6:30 left in regulation time.

Albion rallied with baskets by Bill Leising, Yancey and Holmes and a pair of free throws from Jim Cash to close to within 58-56 with 1:44 remaining, but Rudegeair scored on each of the Bishops' next 4 possessions, going 6-for-6 from the line and adding a bucket from the lane after the Britons had come within 60-58 with 1:09 to play.

Rudegeair's final free throws, with :13 left, stretched the Bishop lead to 66-58 and put the game out of reach.

Rudegeair led the Bishops with 16 points, while senior wing Brian Cafarella (Westerville/North) followed with 13 points and Holliday finished with 10 points. Jean grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

Rudegeair was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He was joined on the all-tournament team by Jean.

Cash, Yancey, Mocini and Holms scored 10 points apiece for Albion.

Box Score