COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nobody outside of the Grove City Christian locker room and student section believed the Division IV Eagles had a chance in a road matchup at Division II power DeSales on Monday. Outside perceptions didn't matter, however, as Grove City Christian slugged out a double overtime thriller, taking down the Stallions 76-73 on the road. 

Grove City Christian wasted no time in getting out to a hot start, as senior point guard Matt Bailey poured in 12 points in the first quarter to build a 21-12 lead after eight minutes of play. As the Eagles came out with a ton of confidence and belief, DeSales fought back in the second quarter, riding senior center Caden Sanchez to pull within three, trailing 32-29 at half.

In the third quarter, Grove City Christian started off fast out of the gate once again, as an 8-0 run in the first 2:25 of the period put the Eagles ahead 40-29. DeSales would claw back once again, pulling to within three at 43-40 toward the end of the period.

As it had done all game, Grove City Christian took DeSales' strongest punch and hit back harder, executing a 5-0 run to close the third, leading 48-40 heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, things started to get very interesting, despite Grove City Christian expanding its lead to 11 at 51-40 with 6:36 to go. DeSales would counter with a 7-2 run, bringing the score to 53-47 with 4:09 remaining. 

Grove City Christian senior sixth man Stevie Whinham countered with a 4-0 run of his own at the line, pushing the Eagle lead to 57-47 with 3:14 remaining. As DeSales looked to be in a tough position down 10 with just a few minutes remaining, the Stallions executed a crazy run of their own.

Responding with an 11-1 run over the next three minutes, DeSales took advantage of sloppy ball-handling and poor free-throw shooting behind the three-point prowess of sophomore guard Kayin Derden. After missing two free throws, Derden redeemed himself with a three from the right wing, tying Monday's game at 58 with 51 seconds to go.

Grove City Christian would not get off a solid look on its final possession, as a scramble for the ball fell into the hands of DeSales senior point guard Ryan Peaks, whose halfcourt heave at the buzzer just missed.

Heading into overtime tied at 58, DeSales looked to have momentum in a game that Grove City Christian had controlled for so long. In overtime, Derden knocked down a big three on the opening possession, which appeared to suck most of the life out of the Grove City Christian faithful.

However, a gutsy pull-up three from junior forward Noah Tomlinson quickly tied Monday's contest at 61 on the Eagles' following possession. Derden would not be done, though, as the lanky sophomore knocked in yet another triple for DeSales, giving the Stallions a 64-61 lead with 2:37 to go.

As Grove City Christian failed to score on its next possession, DeSales looked to be in control. What would happen next for the Stallions might have been the key to the game. With sophomore guard Anthony Sciarroni going to the line for two with just over two minutes to go, Sciarroni would blow both chances at the line, however, DeSales retained possession on one of what seemed like a million offensive rebounds for the Stallions. Tight ball pressure from Grove City Christian forced DeSales to turn it over, leading to Bailey splitting a pair at the line, pulling the deficit to 64-62 with 2:08 to go.

The turnover bug came back to bite DeSales, as Grove City Christian senior wing Brandon Baker intercepted an errant Stallions pass, taking it coast to coast for a tying transition score with 1:54 remaining.

When it seemed like DeSales couldn't make any more mistakes, the Stallions did just that, throwing the ball away and giving Grove City Christian possession with 1:28 remaining.

Holding the ball for one final shot, Bailey was fouled going to the basket with precisely four seconds remaining, as the senior guard had a chance to redeem poor free-throw shooting in the fourth quarter which allowed DeSales to rally back. Bailey calmly knocked down both attempts at the line, giving the Eagles a 66-64 lead with just a few ticks remaining.

On DeSales' final possession, the Stallions looked to be dead in the water as a potential game-winning three from Peaks looked short of the basket. As the shot was falling to the floor in what seemed like a huge win for the Eagles, Sanchez scooped the ball from the sky, putting it back in a crazy reverse score before the buzzer, sending Monday's game into double overtime tied at 66.

Taking the wind from the sails of the Grove City Christian crowd, DeSales looked to have struck the decisive blow on Sanchez' miracle tying shot. The Eagle players would not be deterred, however, as senior wing Clayton Shoemaker buried a three on Grove City Christian's opening possession. Leading 69-66 2:26 to go, Grove City Christian appeared to be in business.

With Sanchez fouled underneath, the High Point signee would convert one of two at the line on DeSales' next possession, bringing the deficit to 69-67 with 2:18 remaining. Turnover ills would come to strike back on Grove City Christian, as the Eagles gave the ball back to DeSales for a chance to knot Monday's game.

The man of the hour in regulation came up clutch once again, as Derden drove baseline and scored, tying the contest at 69 for DeSales with just under two minutes to go.

Opening double overtime with three points, Shoemaker would up the ante on the Eagles' next two possession. After going two for two at the line, Shoemaker countered after DeSales tied the game once again. In a possession that looked like the Eagles would attempt to milk the clock and play for one last shot, Shoemaker weaved in and around the DeSales defense, taking Sanchez to the basket and scoring despite being fouled.

Converting the three-point, Shoemaker put Grove City Christian ahead 74-71 with 46.3 seconds remaining. DeSales would go back to its hot hand on the next trip, as an inside score from Sanchez cut the deficit to 74-73 with 25 seconds to go. 

Sending Bailey to the line with 22.9 seconds to play, whatever struggles that affected the senior captain in regulation were all but diminished, as the guard knocked down both attempts at the line, giving Grove City Christian a 76-73 advantage.

Calling a timeout with 20 seconds to go, DeSales would look to knot Monday's game back up and force a third overtime. On the Stallions' next trip, freshman guard Kobe Righter missed a three from the left corner with 11.5 seconds to go, however Sanchez pulled down yet another offensive rebound. Hitting Derden, who helped bring the Stallions back in regulation, the sophomore wing's game-tying three attempt was off, resulting in a long rebound which led to a scramble at halfcourt for possession.

As time looked to be all but extinguished for DeSales, officials called a jump ball with 0.4 seconds to go, which would allow for one more attempt for the Stallions. Inbounding at halfcourt, DeSales would not be able to pull off a second miracle, as Grove City Christian pulled out the upset win, 76-73.

Leading the way all night for the Eagles was Bailey, who finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Getting Grove City Christian out to the hot start that it needed to gain confidence in a hostile environment, Bailey was an absolute warrior late, playing with four fouls for two entire overtime periods and hitting the clutch free throws that led the Eagles to its biggest win yet this season.

Shoemaker added 19 points, coming up clutch in the second half and overtime periods with 14 points. With Tomlinson fouling out of the game, Shoemaker stepped up against the lengthy Sanchez, converting the key three-point play that established a 74-71 lead late.

Whinham added 12 points off the bench, all of which in the third and fourth quarters, hitting two key threes and going 4-of-4 at the line. Baker added 10 points, 12 rebounds and four steals, with no swipe bigger than the one to tie the game late in the first overtime.

Tomlinson added six points, as he battled foul trouble for most of the night, but was most effective with the game-tying three on the Eagles' first possession of overtime which brought life back to Grove City Christian.

For DeSales, Sanchez and Derden combined for 42 points, scoring 21 points each. Sanchez was a force to be reckoned with inside, adding 11 rebounds despite being double and triple teamed for most of the game. 

Derden came alive in the second half and overtime, scoring 15 of his 21 points including three key triples late. For as much offense as Sanchez and Derden provided the Stallions, DeSales would not have another player score more than eight points on the night.

The senior guard Peaks battled a nasty cut on his chin which required him to exit the game earlier in the third quarter. Returning to action a few moments later, Peaks finished with six points, six rebounds, 10 assists and four steals, before fouling out in double overtime.

Despite only scoring four points, senior wing Luke Hippler made his presence felt on the glass and defensive interior, adding 11 rebounds and a game-high four blocks.

With the win, Grove City Christian now has the most impressive victory of any team in Division IV, going on the road and winning in a hostile environment at DeSales. At 10-1, the Eagles will look to keep winning at home on Friday with a tough league matchup against Fairfield Christian.

For DeSales, the Stallions fall to 8-2 and return home for a league matchup against Bishop Ready.