Eneogwe, Maine West dunk Carmel in OT

In a game that seemingly would never end between two teams so intensely physical that it became nearly impossible to get an open look for a shot, let alone knock one down, it finally took just 1.2 seconds to finish it all off.

That's what was left in overtime when Maine West's Kevin Garcia lobbed an inbounds pass from the side of the court right over the basket for a cutting and suddenly skying Odera Eneogwe. He'd been freed up by a screen from Emmet Turner-Jackson and Cody Zimmerman and proceeded to slam dunk the winning points in a 44-42 victory over Carmel on Wednesday. That put the Warriors (8-3) in today's Wheeling Hardwood Classic consolation finals against Stevenson at 5:30 p.m.

The power dunk ended a game that more closely resembled a WWE Smackdown. Players flew all over, danced into the stands for loose balls, headed out of bounds, flipped over each other in loose ball battles and forcefully contested virtually every shot and rebound.

"We knew, going into the game, it would be a half-court set. Carmel likes to play physically. They're a very good defensive team," said Maine West coach Erik McNeill.

Thirty-three fouls had proven him right, but Eneogwe's emphatic slam was the exclamation point. It was also his 23rd and 24th points out of Maine West's 44.

"One-point-two seconds left, we needed a tip," said Eneogwe. "(McNeill) drew up something."

"Was that unbelievable?" McNeill said, acknowledging that the play actually was executed exactly as it was drawn up. "Credit Garcia with a great pass."

"I told Kevin, just toss it, I'll get it," said Eneogwe, who stands 6-foot-3 and has superior jumping ability. "It was a perfect toss."

It had to be with that little time remaining, especially since Maine West was in foul trouble and short on height off the bench. Carmel's frontline of Dan Feld, Brandon Motzel and Michael Fitzgibbons forced the shorter Warriors to play a virtual game-long 2-1-2 zone because of their inability to match-up man-to-man.

Repeatedly, the trio bought extra chances for guards Connor Jordan and Tim Hendricks (12 points apiece). But despite their team-high point totals, they struggled with their shots as Carmel hit just 3-of-17 from beyond the arc.

Still, Carmel combined for 9 points in a turnover-filled, foul-plagued fourth quarter to rally back into a tie. Jordan even put Carmel ahead with a steal for a layup to open overtime.

But it came down to the final 1.2, and, well, for whom else would you set up a play?

McNeill said the play was designed as a tip and only wound up a much higher-percentage shot due to Eneogwe's explosiveness.

"I felt I had to do more," Eneogwe said of his play, feeling he had under-performed in the previous two tournament games. "I was just saying, 'Get to the rim.'"

Did he ever.