Boys Basketball: Wilson’s 24 points push Monarchs to OT triumph

MONARCHS 56, ROYALS 52 (OT)

Junior guard Asaiah Wilson scored 7 of his game-high 24 points in overtime to lead Bishop McGann-Mercy to a 56-52 Suffolk County League VII boys basketball win over host Port Jefferson on Friday night.

It was an intense affair with 12 lead changes as the score was tied eight times.

The Monarchs battled back from a 5-point deficit in the overtime period. Wilson began an 8-0 surge by pumping in a 3-point shot with 2 minutes 27 seconds left before hitting two foul shots to tie it at 50-all with 2:06 remaining.

Senior guard Brian Willet (8 points) sank one of two foul shots to give McGann-Mercy (5-2, 2-12) a 51-50 advantage with 1:30 left that the Monarchs never relinquished. The game wasn’t settled until Wilson hit two more free throws with 12.7 seconds remaining to give the visitors a 3-point advantage and Willet putting in another foul shot with a second to go.

Gabe Davis of Port Jefferson scored his only points of the night by hitting a trey at the buzzer to tie the encounter at 45-45, sending the game into overtime.

McGann-Mercy junior forward Nykel Reese contributed 14 points — sinking all 10 of his free throws — and added 17 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.

Junior guard Coby Steiner led the Royals (2-5, 0-3) with 21 points and senior forward Jasper Rubin collected 19.