Grove City 71, Thiel 69 (OT)

BOXSCORE

February 6, 1999--David Stiansen (Telford, PA/Souderton) netted a team-high 14 points, including six in overtime, to give Grove City a thrilling 71-69 win over Thiel in Greenville, PA.  The win moved the Wolverines to 5-0 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference and extended their winning streak to five games.

Grove City cut an 11-point second-half deficit to two, 61-59, when Stiansen drilled a three-point bucket with 11 seconds left in regulation.  Dave Pifer (Sarver, PA/Freeport) then stepped to the free-throw line with two ticks showing and netted both ends of a one-and-one to force overtime. 

The Wolverines took their first lead since the game's opening minute when Justin Sheppard (Pittsburgh, PA/North Hills) scored off a pass from Pifer 35 seconds into OT.  Thiel rallied to go up by one, 64-63, before Stiansen rifled in his third three-pointer of the game with just under two minutes left to put the Wolverines ahead for good, 66-64.  Stiansen built the lead to 68-64 with two free throws before the Tomcats drew to within one on a three-pointer by James Smolko with 49 seconds left.   Shane Meling's (Slippery Rock, PA/Slippery Rock) lay-in with 20 second remaining jumped the lead back to three, 70-67, before Stiansen nailed one-of-two from the line in the final moments. 

Michael Cratsley (Temecula, CA/Temecula) tallied 13 points and Sheppard finished with a career-high nine points on 4-for-5 shooting and seven rebounds.  Brent Steineman (Pickerington, OH/Wadsworth) chipped in with eight points and a team-best 10 boards.

Grove City, winner of seven of its last eight games, hosts La Roche in a non-conference match-up Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.

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