SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Trey McBride saw the ball roll around the rim and it felt like an eternity.
The Moeller senior guard tipped in a missed shot with 3.4 seconds left as Moeller defeated visiting La Salle 43-41 to capture a share of the Greater Catholic League South division title Friday night.
“I saw it come off the rim, and I just said I got to trust my instincts and tip it in,” McBride said. “Thankfully it went in.”
WATCH in the video player above to hear more from McBride about the game-winning shot.
McBride, who has signed with Mount Vernon Nazarene, had a team-high 12 points, five rebounds to go along with three assists.
Moeller (18-3, 4-2 GCL South) has won 10 consecutive GCL South home games. The Crusaders also created a three-way tie for the GCL South title for a second straight season.
“I thought our guys really fought tonight,” Moeller coach Carl Kremer said. “We were on the ropes a couple times and a found way to make some plays down the stretch. This is a great group of kids.”
The game was tied twice in the fourth quarter – at 37 with 3:21 left on Moeller forward Sam McCracken’s steal and dunk and at 41 with 49 seconds left, when La Salle senior guard Jeremy Larkin made two free throws.
Larkin, a Northwestern football signee, had a game-high 19 points and six rebounds. He was 6 of 6 from the free-throw line.
McCracken added 10 points on 5 of 7 from the field for the Crusaders.
“Being GCL champs is one of the goals we made at the very beginning of the season for this team, and we fulfilled this goal,” McCracken said.
Moeller shot 56 percent compared to La Salle’s 39 percent. The Crusaders outrebounded the Lancers 21-14.
La Salle led 25-21 at halftime after the game was tied at 11 after the first quarter.
La Salle held a 37-33 advantage with 5:16 left before Moeller went on an 8-0 run. Larkin made four free throws to tie the game at 41.
La Salle junior guard CJ Fleming, a Bellarmine commit, added 17 points for the Lancers (18-3, 4-2).
“We just weren’t tough enough on the last play to jump up and get the ball,” La Salle coach Dan Fleming said of the tip-in. “We had to take a desperation three (at the end of the game).”
The GCL South coaches will vote on the all-conference team on Sunday with the selections expected to be on the conference site next week.
Moeller next plays Sycamore in a Division I sectional game at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at Hamilton.
La Salle next plays Western Hills in a Division I sectional game at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at Lakota West.
La Salle (18-3, 4-2 GCL South) – Crigler 1 0 3, Larkin 6 6 19, Hartmann 1 0 2, Fleming 4 6 17. Totals: 12 12 41
Moeller (18-3, 4-2) – McCracken 5 0 10, Reutelshofer 1 0 3, McDowell 2 1 6, Payton 2 2 6, Voss 2 0 4, Trey McBride 5 1 12, Miles McBride 1 0 2.
Totals: 8 4 43 3-pointers: L 5 (Fleming 3, Crigler, Larkin). M 3 (Reutelshofer, McDowell, Trey McBride)
