Cards get a "Wynn" in Overtime at Flint Hill, 70-56

Junior Wynn Miller has become one of the Cardinals leading three-point threats this season.

Bishop Ireton’s Wynn Miller scored his 10 points during the second half to twice widen a razor close contest and the Cardinals went on to a 70-56 overtime win at Flint Hill (3-8) Saturday afternoon in Oakton. The victory sent Ireton to its 12th win and it second in as many days on the road. Friday night the club outlasted St Mary’s Ryken in Leonardtown.

The Cardinals perhaps showed some fatigue early in the game and neither squad scored in the opening two minutes. The teams exchanged leads and Ireton emerged with a 11-9 advantage after one quarter. Ireton went on a 8-2 run to open the second period, then both clubs went “cold” from the field, with the visitors scoring from the free throw line primarily in building a 30-17 halftime lead. For the day, Ireton benefited from 35 free throw opportunities, making 26. The home team conversely would go only 6 for 12 from “the line”.

Flint Hill came out of the locker room and outscored the Cardinals 19-9 during the third quarter and drew the crowd back into the contest as the teams opened the final period of play with the visitors holding on 39-36. A Matt Kennedy three-pointer, his only one of the day, drew the Huskies even at 43 for the first time since the first quarter.

Wynn Miller began his heroics with a 3-point hoop, then immediately followed on the next possession with a jumper, junior Dan Noe hit another and it began to look like the Cardinals would regain control at 52-45. But Flint Hill countered with a 7-0 run of their own and the game was again knotted at 52. Patrick Moseh gave Ireton a 54-52 lead, but the Huskies rallied. Both teams had opportunities in the final seconds of the contest, but neither could convert and the game headed to overtime tied at 54.

The overtime, however, was all Cardinals. Senior Da’von Wiley opened the extra session with a jumper and the Cardinals then blanketed the home team with a smothering defense. Off a miss the Cardinals converted again, then sent Wynn Miller to the line where he made both ends of a 1-and-1. After a made free throw, one of only two points the Huskies would score in the overtime, Miller drained a critical three from deep in the corner and Ireton had a 63-55 bulge as time began to get away from the upset-minded hosts. Taylor McHugh hit a jumper, then converted one of two free throws, Moseh made a layup, followed with a free throw and the Huskies couldn’t get a shot to fall or a rebound to bounce as the game raced into the Ireton corner for a 14-point margin of victory.

It was a balanced scoresheet for the Alexandria school with five Cardinals scoring in double figures: McHugh and Moseh with 13, Noe had 11, Miller and Khyree Robinson both with 10. Ty Quarles had 7 and Wiley 6 for Ireton. The Huskies Britton Anderson had a game-high 16 points while Damien Jones was the only other Husky in double figures with 10.

Bishop Ireton improved to 12-3, 3-2 in conference play without the services Saturday of team captain, Louie Khouri. The guard, wearing a protective boot, was relegated to “cheerleader” on the Ireton sideline. Next up for the road weary redbirds is a date with powerhouse, DeMatha in Hyattsville on Tuesday. They will return home Friday to host Bishop McNamara in Godley Gym.