In a game billed as a battle of archrivals, Ferris State University downed No. 15 Grand Valley State University in an overtime thriller Saturday, by a final score of 79-72.

The Amway 131 Showdown at the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids lived up to its billing. The Lakers (15-4, 10-2 GLIAC), who trailed by as many as nine points in the second half, rallied to take the lead over the Bulldogs (14-5, 10-2 GLIAC) in the final minute before falling in overtime.

After a cold start for both teams, the GVSU offense found its game behind junior James Thomas – a Grand Rapids native – who scored nine of his 18 points in the first.

Thomas’ shooting, along with a tenacious defensive effort, paced the Lakers in a half where the offense was often nonexistent.

“We knew this game wasn’t going to have a whole lot of rhythm; they’re a good team and they do things defensively that take you out of your rhythm,” said senior Justin Ringler, who had a team-high eight rebounds. “The game just kind of started off a little helter-skelter while the teams feel each other out.”

The Lakers played the majority of the game without the assistance of junior center Nick Waddell, junior guard Alvin Storrs and senior guard K’Len Morris. Waddell suffered a knee injury prior to the game.

In-game injuries to Storrs and Morris – an undisclosed knee injury for Morris and a concussion for Storrs – proved to be kinks in the Lakers’ chain.

“It’s hard to measure emotions – certainly K’Len’s injury looks as though it could be a career-threatening one and that’s a sock in the gut. And Alvin is certainly our emotional leader; and Nick Waddell is a guy we recruited with this game in mind,” said GVSU head coach Ric Wesley, whose team now sits in a first-place tie with Ferris State in the GLIAC North. “More than anything else, other than the emotional part of it, was the depth impact.”

That depth as tested early on as sophomore Tony Peters (eight points) and juniors Wes Trammell (seven points) and Nick Carreri (four rebounds) were entrusted with filling not only their roles, but also helping to fill in for Waddell, Morris and Storrs.

“I was pretty confident being in there because we practice that stuff every day,” said Carreri, who finished with 11 points. “Everyone believes in everyone else on the team, and they all believe that I can step up as well as other players like Tony and Wes, who had to step up with guys like K’Len and Al out.”

As the first half progressed, the defenses began to click. The Lakers’ defense on Keenan, which shifted from a 2-3 zone to a constant double team on the touch, helped hold Ferris State to only 23.5 percent shooting for the half.

Whether it was rebounding or offensive execution, the Lakers struggled to find a balance, and trailed Ferris State 28-26 at half.

Coming out in the second, Ferris State – led by senior Matt DeHart’s four three-pointers – extended their two-point halftime lead to a nine-point lead with 16:06 left in the half.

Ferris State’s Keenan found shooters often by passing out of the middle of the Lakers’ 2-3 zone. After exchanging three-pointers, Ringler took control of the ball and carried the Lakers back into the game.

With an array of floaters and drives to the basket, Ringler scored 16 of the team’s next 25 points, capping it off with a jumper to tie the game at 59 with 4:06 left.

After a Keenan free throw with 28 seconds left gave FSU a one-point lead, it was Carreri – who missed a pair of free throws the previous possession – who came up big in the clutch.

Guard Breland Hogan found Carreri, who caught the ball on the left block, spun to the hoop and avoided the block attempt by Ferris State’s Williams as he made the lay-up and drew a foul on DeHart. Carreri banked in the free throw to give the Lakers a two-point lead at 69-67.

The ensuing 13 seconds yielded a contested jumper by Keenan, and multiple tip-rebounds before FSU junior Dontae Molden finally tipped in the tying basket.

“We were really talking it out, making sure everything was matched up with Keenan covered,” said Carreri. “I wanted to force him to shoot it because he didn’t really shoot it well from outside, but they were in the right spot (on the miss) and we need to be tougher to get them out of there and get the rebound.”

The tip-in by Molden proved to be a huge momentum swing as Ferris State opened the overtime period with the first five points. Putting the Lakers’ further behind was the early fouling out of Ringler, who had carried the offense in the second half.

“I think we got a little tense and didn’t do a great job executing; coach put us in position and I guess our focus kind of slipped,” Ringler said.

Ferris State out-scored GVSU 12-5 in the overtime en-route to the 79-72 win. The Lakers will have three days to re-group before returning to the court in a road game against Saginaw Valley State University on Thursday.

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