Allderdice Beats Obama in Triple OT Thriller for Boys City Title

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, February 19, 2017 | 11:42 PM

For the third straight season, Allderdice and Obama Academy squared off for the City League boys’ championship. Both of the first two matchups went to Allderdice, giving the Dragons their latest two of three straight City League crowns.

Sunday’s matchup was different, however, as for the first time in the three matchups, Allderdice came in the underdog, the No. 2 seed to Obama Academy’s No. 1 seed. The Eagles had defeated the Dragons in the second matchup between the teams during the regular season.

The difference was two points in that game; in the previous regular season matchup it was five.

It was no shocker to anyone at the Peterson Events Center that the Championship tilt was close. It may have come as a bit off a shock to some, however, that is took three overtimes to decide a winner, making the game an instant classic.

The two teams had a feeling out process in the first half. Through two quarters of play, neither team shot well from the field as a whole, but a few players, namely Allderdice’s Bobby Clifford and Obama’s DJ Gordon, had good halves.

The Eagles took a 17-16 lead to the locker rooms, before the second half became wild.

After a 14-14 third quarter, Obama began to close in on a title, but Allderdice hung in and was able to take a late lead on a 3-pointer by Jackson Blaufeld, who had 12 points total. But, just as the Dragons thought it was celebration time, Obama’s Dana Strothers hit a baseline jumper, falling away to send it to overtime with the game tied at 44.

Allderdice was then seconds away from a championship in the first overtime, sinking free throws and stifling Obama Academy defensively, before Strothers did it again, connecting from three-point land at the buzzer to send the game to a second overtime.

Obama’s Trez Jones made two free throws towards the end of the second overtime, but following the theme, Allderdice’s Jahi Ogbonna hit a shot to tie it and send the City League title game to a third overtime.

Allderdice was able to hold off another late comeback attempt by Obama at the end of the third overtime, holding on to capture its fourth straight City League title.

The Dragons were led by Ogbonna, who scored 21 points including two triples in the second overtime, while Clifford scored 20, a total that included five 3-pointers. Tyler Williams scored 15 points in total, helping his squad by going 9-10 from the charity stripe in the overtime periods combined.

Obama Academy was led by Strothers, who scored 24. Trez Jones added 12 while Asa Bray and DJ Gordon both tallied nine.

For Allderdice, it’s on the PIAA Tournament and a play-in game. It was a year in which Allderdice didn’t have the star playmakers, but found a way to get it done, giving the school its 13th City League title.

Tags: Allderdice, Obama Academy