Orme’s Last-Second Bucket Propels O’Dea Over Eastside Catholic
By Steven Dion

In the sink or swim Metro League, games in December are crucial to keeping up with the pack. This mid-December affair with the host Fighting Irish of O’Dea and Eastside Catholic Crusaders felt like a late-February matchup. There were lead changes from the tip off to the final seconds of the contest. There was a sense of heated familiarity between the student sections as the Crusaders knocked off O’Dea in the football semifinals two weeks ago.

The first quarter set the tone for the game as buckets were traded and momentum swings were brief. Crusader junior guard Mandrell Worthy scored 7 of his game-high 23 points in the first frame. He shot an impressive 10 of 11 from the charity stripe. O’Dea found some rhythm in transition late in the second quarter, finishing at the rim and earning trips to the line. The home team took a one-point lead into the locker room, 30-29.

The intensity rose in the third quarter as slashers like O’Dea’s Jamie Orme and EC’s Matisse Thybulle fired up their squad with dunks. The Irish’s aggression on the offensive boards led to second-shots and free-throws. As the fourth quarter progressed, it became evident that the team with the final possession would win the contest. Eastside Catholic Crusader senior Zach Wallin buried a three with 18 seconds remaining to take a 63-62 lead. On the ensuing possession, Tyler Kidd worked his way into the paint for a four-footer; it clanged off the back iron, but Orme was there for the put-back to give O’Dea the lead. A desperation shot at the buzzer by EC hit the rim, but didn’t fall through. O’Dea escaped with the 64-63 win.

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Mandrell Worthy – 23 points (10/11 FTs)

O’Dea
Tyler Kidd – 20 points