Saturday, February 10, 2001
Injured Lee rallies Oak Hills
Highlanders clinch share of GMC title
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — It wasn't until Friday morning that Oak Hills senior guard Mike Lee received permission from his doctor to play against Hamilton in the Greater Miami Conference showdown.
Lee, the Highlanders' leading scorer with a 15-point average, suffered a sprained knee ligament in practice Monday. He scored nine points in overtime, giving Oak Hills, ranked fourth in the Enquirer's Division I poll, a 51-43 victory over the Big Blue before a crowd of about 1,800.
Picked to finish fourth in the Greater Miami Conference, the Highlanders clinched at least a tie for the title. They can wrap it up with a win over Milford tonight.
Hamilton trailed Oak Hills by one game coming into Friday and is now two games behind with two games left.
“The doctor game me permission to play two quarters tonight.” said Lee. “I only played in the second and fourth quarters and the overtime.”
Lee opened overtime with a 3-pointer from the corner for a 41-38 lead. Robbie Ballinger scored for Hamilton, but Lee picked up an assist on the next play, getting the ball inside to Tim Oliverio, who scored on a layup.
Lee followed with a jump shot with 1:03 remaining and followed with four consecutive free throws during the final 27 seconds.
“It wasn't only me tonight,” Lee said. “It was a team effort.”
Hamilton led throughout most of the fourth quarter, but the Highlanders came from behind to take a 38-36 lead with 13.5 seconds remaining on two free throws by Steven Wergers.
But E.J. Underwood scored with 2.3 seconds remaining, taking the ball on the perimeter and driving in for an off-balanced layup to send the game into overtime.
“We were our worst enemy,” Hamilton coach Larry Allen aid. “We got a little over-anxious in the fourth quarter, and when we penetrated, we didn't take care of the ball. I think Oak Hills is one of the top teams in area, and I congratulate them.”
Hamilton took the lead early in the third quarter and held it until Oak Hills tied the game at 36-36 before going ahead 38-36, setting the stage for Underwood's field goal.
“Our strategy on defense wasn't to take away Hamilton's outside shot but to keep them from penetrating,” Oak Hills coach Mike Price said. “We did a pretty good job, but Underwood is a great player and was hard to stop.”
Hamilton also was slowed by injuries. Nate Rusbosin played with a severe ankle sprain suffered on Saturday during the Big Blue's upset over St. Xavier.
OAK HILLS (51) — Price 4 1 10, Lee 3 6 14, Webb 1 1 3, Richmond 2 0 5, Weathers 0 1 1, Oliverio 5 0 10, Wergers 2 3 7. Totals: 17 13 51.
HAMILTON (43) — Andrews 0 2 2, Underwood 8 3 19, Jackson 2 2 7, Smith 1 3 5, Rusbosin 1 1 3, Williams 1 1 3, Ballinger 2 0 4. Totals: 15 12 43.
Oak Hills ....... 8 14 5 11 13—51
Hamilton ....... 4 16 10 8 5—43
3-pointers: O—Lee 2, Price, Richmond. H--Jackson. Records: OH 15-3, 13-1 GMC; H 13-5, 11-3 GMC.
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