NASSAU, Bahamas — In a thrilling overtime clash at the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday, West Virginia emerged victorious over No. 3 Gonzaga with a score of 86-78, thanks to an impressive performance from Javon Small, who contributed 31 points to the win.
Small was particularly outstanding in overtime, scoring five crucial points. His layup with under two minutes remaining in the extra period propelled West Virginia to a 79-75 advantage. After Gonzaga missed a scoring attempt, Sencire Harris increased the lead to six points by sinking two free throws. A pivotal moment arrived with just 27.1 seconds left when Harris intercepted the ball and executed a dunk, extending the advantage to eight points and effectively sealing the game for West Virginia.
In addition to Small’s heroics, Amani Hansberry had a standout performance, notching a career-high 19 points, while Toby Okani contributed 10 points for the Mountaineers, who improved to a record of 3-2. For Gonzaga, Braden Huff led the scoring with 19 points, and Khalif Battle added 16 points to their total, bringing the team’s record to 5-1.
Notably, Gonzaga demonstrated its squad depth by significantly outscoring West Virginia’s bench 30-2. Despite suffering a significant loss to Pitt earlier in the season, West Virginia’s rebuilding efforts under head coach Darian DeVries seem to be showing positive results.
A key moment in the game occurred late in regulation when Tucker DeVries forced a turnover at midcourt, stripping the ball from Nolan Hickman. DeVries raced down the court, drawing a foul and converting two free throws with just 5.9 seconds left, which leveled the score at 71-all. Following this, Battle attempted to regain control of the ball during an inbound play but lost it as time ran out.
Statistically, the shorter West Virginia team outperformed Gonzaga on the boards, garnering 42 rebounds compared to Gonzaga’s 36. The Mountaineers shot 50% during the second half and matched Gonzaga in scoring in the paint. Nembhard put forth an impressive performance in terms of assists, recording 12 with only one turnover over 43 minutes, but struggled with his shooting, finishing 1-for-10 from the field.
Looking ahead, West Virginia is set to face Louisville on Thursday in the winner’s bracket, while Gonzaga will take on No. 14 Indiana in the consolation round.
