Bombers make critical defensive plays late to force OT, outlast Raiders to remain unbeaten

MACOMB, Ill. — Malachi Conley played the hero at the end of regulation.

In overtime, his teammates did the rest.

Conley, a guard on the Macomb boys basketball team, made two critical defensive plays and scored the game-tying basket in the final minute of regulation Saturday night, helping the Bombers force Quincy Notre Dame to overtime at the Hangar.

Dion Doyle gave Macomb the lead for good when he scored in the post  to start the extra period, and Braden Holthaus finished the 46-44 victory with a steal and a basket as the Bombers remain undefeated at 6-0.

QND (2-2) suffered back-to-back losses in which an opportunity at the end of regulation slipped away.

Friday night, in a 53-51 loss to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, the Raiders had possession with 5.3 seconds left and the opportunity to tie or win the game with a basket, but they never got a shot off before the buzzer.

This time, the Raiders led 38-34 with 1:20 to play in regulation before Doyle buried an elbow jumper with 55 seconds left to make it a one-possession game. QND ran the clock down to 24 seconds and tried to inbound the ball from the sideline when Conley tipped the inbounds pass, stole the ball and made a layup to tie the game.

Conley then tied up QND point guard Alex Dance, forcing a jump ball that gave possession back to Macomb with 15.2 seconds left.

Macomb worked the perimeter before Drew Watson launched a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key that rimmed out as the buzzer sounded, sending the game to overtime.

Doyle made the first basket of overtime, and then he stole the ball on the defensive end. It led to Watson getting fouled and making a pair of free throws for a 42-38 edge with 1:29 to play. The Raiders’ Aden Genenbacher answered with a 3-pointer from the left corner.

Holthaus made two free throws to extend the lead to three, and his steal and basket in the final 10 seconds made it a five-point advantage. QND hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but the outcome was determined by that point.

The Bombers committed just three turnovers in the second half and overtime combined, while the Raiders had 11 of their 16 turnovers during the same stretch.

Doyle led Macomb with 16 points, while Holthaus had 14 and Watson added 10. Sophomore forward Jace Allensworth led the Raiders with 20 points, while Genenbacher finished with 11.