Wildcats Freshmen Edge St. Edward in Overtime Thriller, 47–46

The Saint Ignatius Freshman Gold basketball team rallied from multiple deficits and survived a tense overtime finish to defeat rival St. Edward 47–46 on Jan. 19 at Sullivan Gym, sealing the win on a series of clutch plays in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Wildcats trailed 21–16 at halftime and 34–30 after the third quarter before mounting a late push in regulation. A balanced offense kept Saint Ignatius within striking distance, setting the stage for a dramatic final eight minutes. The Wildcats eventually forced overtime by closing regulation on a 10–6 surge to pull even at 40–40.

Forward Bennett Adkins led Saint Ignatius with 13 points and delivered two of the game’s biggest shots, knocking down a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and another in overtime. Guard Chad Trush added 5 points, including a critical 3-pointer with less than 15 seconds remaining in regulation that briefly gave the Wildcats the lead before St. Edward answered with a last-second basket to send the game to the extra session.

In overtime, the teams traded baskets in a back-and-forth stretch, but the Wildcats’ composure at the free-throw line proved decisive. Forward Lucas Hudok, who came off the bench to contribute 10 points, calmly sank two key free throws in the extra period to help Saint Ignatius edge in front for good. His production complemented the perimeter scoring from Adkins and Trush and gave the Wildcats an interior presence in crunch time.

Saint Ignatius’ scoring was spread across the roster. In addition to Adkins’ 13 and Hudok’s 10, De’John Petersen added 7 points, Alphonse Camara scored 6, and Trush chipped in 5. That balance allowed the Wildcats to withstand St. Edward’s late-game response and overcome early offensive struggles, particularly in the first half when Saint Ignatius managed just 16 points.

Defensively, the Wildcats tightened up after halftime, holding St. Edward to 19 points across the fourth quarter and overtime combined after trailing through three quarters. Timely stops, combined with late-game execution on the perimeter and at the line, turned a 4-point third-quarter deficit into a one-point rivalry win.

With the 47–46 overtime victory, the Saint Ignatius freshmen added a signature early-season result on their home floor, showing resilience in closing time and confidence from multiple contributors in high-pressure situations.