NASSAU, Bahamas — In a thrilling matchup during the Baha Mar Championship, No. 13 Baylor overcame a five-point deficit in the final moments of double overtime to edge past No. 22 St. John’s with a score of 99-98. Jeremy Roach sealed the victory by sinking a 3-pointer just as the buzzer sounded.

St. John’s was ahead 98-93 when Deivon Smith converted just one of two free throw attempts with 18 seconds remaining. The Bears narrowed the gap to two points thanks to a 3-pointer from VJ Edgecombe and then fouled Zuby Ejiofor of the Red Storm, who failed to convert either of his free throw attempts.

With only 4.1 seconds left on the clock, Norchad Omier secured the rebound from the second missed free throw, pushed the ball up the court, and passed to Roach. The Duke transfer rose above Smith to nail the decisive 3-pointer. Omier led the Bears with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Roach added 20 points to their efforts. Baylor, now sitting at 4-1, managed to erase an 18-point deficit they faced in the first half. Roach’s shooting late in regulation had previously given Baylor a brief lead at 77-74, but Kadary Richmond’s timely jumper with seven seconds left sent the game into overtime.

St. John’s, also with a record of 4-1, saw impressive performances from Ejiofor, who tallied 22 points along with 10 rebounds and five blocks, and Aaron Scott, who contributed 20 points of his own.

Observations from the game highlighted the dominant defensive play by St. John’s in the first half, where they limited Baylor to a shooting percentage of just 36.7%, resulting in a 44-30 lead at halftime. Baylor, however, showcased their offensive prowess in the second half and overtime, hitting 10 3-pointers to help fuel their comeback.

A critical moment came when Richmond was successful on a pair of free throws with 25 seconds remaining in the first overtime, while Roach missed a jumper that could have changed the trajectory of the game.

Despite having an equal number of rebounds, Baylor clearly outperformed St. John’s in second-chance scoring, outscoring them 22-8 in that category.

Looking ahead, Baylor is set to compete against the winner from the game between No. 11 Tennessee and Virginia in the championship match scheduled for Friday night, while St. John’s will participate in the consolation game on the same evening.