Cardiac Cats rally again as Springfield wins district title

This time the Wildcats hit clutch 3-pointers, overcame an untimely lane violation, forced a key turnover and made clinching free throws to escape with a 46-42 victory over Cincinnati Oak Hills for their second district title in three years.

“Anything’s possible,”Wildcats star senior guard Danny Davis said. “That’s what you’ve got to live by. That’s what we do and just keep a positive mindset no matter what.”

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The Wildcats (24-3) will play Cincinnati La Salle at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Nutter Center in the regional semifinals. Top-ranked Cincinnati Moeller faces Mason in the first semifinal at 6:15. The regional final is 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Springfield led the half-court defensive battle 18-15 at halftime, but Oak Hills (23-4) surged to the lead to start the second half. The final push for the Wildcats started when post player Leonard Taylor, who scored 15 points, tipped in a shot with 1:19 left to cut the deficit to 36-34. Oak Hills countered with a putback on a missed free throw with 48 seconds left.

Down 38-34, the comeback turned crazy when Davis pulled up for a 3-pointer on the left wing that was well outside NBA range. He made it for the last of his 16 points with 37 seconds left.

“I felt it, he was off me a little bit and I just flicked my wrist and it went in,” Davis said.

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The Cats put Oak Hills on the line again with 24 seconds left and the Highlanders’ Cam Naber missed again. Davis found Michael McKay on a long outlet pass for a layup and a 39-38 lead with 19 seconds left.

Oak Hills missed a shot but was fouled on the rebound with four seconds left. Again, Naber missed but the Cats were called for a lane violation. Naber made the first, missed the second and the game went to overtime.

McKay’s 3-pointer with 2:45 left in overtime put the Cats up 43-42. Taylor made a free throw with 31 seconds left for a two-point lead.

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“I knew that they were going to come through at some point, and they did,” Carson said of his top scorers Davis, McKay and Taylor, who scored nine points in the fourth quarter and overtime. “Those guys deserve it. I’m proud of them.”

Taylor wasn’t done. As Oak Hills was playing for a shot to tie or win, he deflected a pass that Michael Wallace fell on with eight seconds left. He was fouled and went to the line to shot a 1-and-1.

“I called Michael over and I told him, ‘Look, you’ve worked so hard, son. This is your moment right here. Take a deep breath and go knock those two things down,’” Wildcats coach Isiah Carson said.

Wallace made both to seal the win.

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“It was like nobody was in the gym at all,” Wallace said. “I just felt relaxed and didn’t hear anything.”

The celebration began with hugs, the ball thrown high in the air, the trophy presentation, the net cutting and a team picture for every fan with a camera or phone.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Davis said. “It’s surreal. I just thank God — that’s why we pulled it out. We battled through adversity, and we did what we were supposed to do at the end of the game. We finished it.”