Canton - Freshman guard Johnny Mrlik drained a 3-pointer with 1:02 remaining and the score tied, to lead the Vassar College men’s basketball team to dramatic 58-57 victory over St. Lawrence on Saturday afternoon in Liberty League action at Burkman Gymnasium.
The Brewers limited St. Lawrence to just 36% shooting from the field and defended the perimeter, as the Saints shot 1-for-9 from 3-point distance.
The victory lifts Vassar to 8-14, 4-9 in the Liberty League. The Saints drop to 14-9, 10-5 in league play.
With junior Jon Herzog and Mrlik scoring 11 points each in the first half, the Brewers held an 18-15 margin with 8:57 to play in the half. The Saints knotted the contest 21-21 with 5:09 to play and over the final 2:46 spurted to the half with a 33-26 lead.
The second half saw Herzog get into a groove offensively with five points in the first six minutes. The Brewers then used the long ball 3-point shooting of senior guard Nick Justiz - who had two huge buckets down the stretch - sophomore forward Evan Carberry, and Herzog to keep the Saints from slipping away.
A Justiz 3-pointer with 6:26 to play pushed Vassar ahead 49-45, and with resiliency, the Brewers held the lead until 2:34 to play when Saints senior guard Terry Parham knotted the contest 53-53 after an old-fashioned three-point play. After another Justiz bucket put Vassar back ahead, Saints senior guard Garrett Sharlow tied the game 55-55 with 1:16 remaining.
Mrlik’s 3-pointer with 1:02 remaining was the dagger, putting Vassar ahead 58-55. Sharlow scored a layup in the paint with 55 seconds left. A last second shot by Saints sophomore guard Al Davis missed.
Herzog had his second 20-plus scoring game in a row with a game-high 21 points, including 4-of-8 from 3-point distance. Mrlik added 15 points on a sizzling 4-of-5 from long distance.
