St. Joseph's defeats Christ Church in epic triple-overtime basketball game

Emilio Trocha's godparents flew in from Shreveport, Louisiana, to witness Tuesday night's high school basketball game between Christ Church Episcopal School and Trocha's team, St. Joseph's Catholic School.

"We told them this is the rivalry game, and you need to show up for this one," said Steve Trocha, Emilio's father. "I didn't know this was going to happen."

Huge crowd, great atmosphere? Sure — staples when the two get together.

Triple overtime, with heart-stopping action at the end of regulation and each extra period? Who knew?

Paul Assinesi's team won, but to the St. Joseph's coach, after the heavily contested 3-point attempt by Christ Church's Charles Sagedy had misfired at the buzzer, giving the Knights a 63-61 victory, that wasn't what mattered most.

"This one's like being at Duke-(North) Carolina," Assinesi said. "You're right in each other's back yard, and it's a strong rivalry in every sport you do. To come out on top is great, but to have that kind of game is greater.

"If it's a blowout, it doesn't matter. But a rivalry is when you go back and forth, and to go to triple (overtime) is the epitome of a game. And if he hits the three at the end, we lose, but it becomes an even better game."

It was plenty good enough for Irene and David Sartori and Sherry and Philip Isherwood. Irene and Philip are the godparents of Emilio Trocha, a St. Joe's senior who scored 12 points in the Knights' victory.

"The fact that he hit the shot that took us into the second (overtime), we were jumping up and down," Irene Sartori said.

"I've seen a fair bit of basketball here, and this has got to be a highlight," said Steve Trocha. "And for them to be here and cheer him on, and for my mother, who lost everything in California..."

A much bigger loss

Martha Trocha, Steve's mother, lived in Glen Ellen, California, just north of Sonoma. Just a few months ago, wildfires ravaged more than 245,000 acres across that part of the state.

"I had five minutes to get out," Martha Trocha said. "The fire was lurking about."

"Fifteen minutes after she got out of the house, the house was burned to the ground," said her son.

She lost everything, even her car.

"My neighbor texted me today, and they had six inches of rain in Santa Rosa," she said. "They're up in the hill, and everything just goes down the hill. But we should be OK where I live because it's flat, and there are just a few little hills on the other side.

"But they had the fire and now the mudslides. When is it going to end?"

"Four months ago she lost her house, and seven months ago she lost my dad, so she's living with us now," Steve Trocha said. "So for her to be here to see this? Kind of different."

More than 2,600 miles from the devastation on the West Coast, it had to be a nice change of pace. You don't see games like this every day.

It was the Region 2-A opener for both teams, and defending champion St. Joe's and much-improved Christ Church should be contenders.

Following Christ Church's 73-32 victory in the girls game, host St. Joe's recognized its four state championship teams from fall sports: boys swimming, girls and boys cross country and volleyball.

Celebrating all that winning only added to the atmosphere.

"I've never seen a student section like this," said St. Joseph's junior guard Connor Bailey. "With the ring ceremony and everything, and Christ Church showed up, too, it's probably the best game I've ever played in."

"Absolutely crazy," said Knights junior guard Weeks Poole. "I've been to so many games here, but I've never seen anything like that. It was electric the whole game."

St. Joe's, despite 16 points from junior Miles Murray, trailed 48-39 with 4:55 remaining and then scored the last nine points in regulation.

Poole was responsible for the final three, nailing a shot from the left corner at the buzzer that tied the score and created a pileup above him and a din in the gym.

"It was the best feeling ever," Poole said. "First year on varsity, to come in and make a big play in front of a crazy crowd, it was awesome."

Overtime heroes

Then it was a matter of each side taking turns sending players to center stage.

Sophomore Rayshun Harrison, who scored six of his 11 points in the overtimes, gave Christ Church the lead in the first extra period, and senior Jacobe Putman, gave the Cavaliers the lead in the second OT.

Emilio Trocha's put-back with four seconds left tied the score in the first overtime, and St. Joe's junior Walker Pace hit two free throws with 1:17 to go to make it 57-57 in the second overtime.

The Knights had to hold their collective breath while Sagedy, who had knocked down a couple of 3-pointers earlier, grabbed a loose ball, dribbled just past half-court and heaved a shot that rimmed out at the buzzer.

Four more minutes.

Bailey scored on a drive to give the Knights the lead in the third overtime. After senior Graham Haley, who led Christ Church with 14 points, hit a jumper to make it 59-59, Trocha drove the left baseline to put the Knights back on top.

Christ Church freshman John Butler was fouled with 39 seconds left and made both free throws. With the score tied again, Bailey drove the right baseline, put the Knights up two and was fouled with 3.9 seconds remaining.

"I didn't really play much last year," Bailey said, "so first game against Christ Church, getting a lot of minutes, and then to come in and get the open drive down the corner, and then finishing to contact? I didn't make the free throw, but we still won the game."

Not until Sagedy's last effort fell short as time expired.

"As a three-year varsity player, that's definitely one of the craziest games I've been in," Emilio Trocha said. "Landrum last year at home was insane, and honestly that might have topped it. I'm at a loss for words. It was just amazing."

"That's what you get with triple overtime in a rivalry game. You can't beat it, win or lose," said Assinesi. "I told my boys at the end of regulation when we hit the three, 'Look at the crowd over there. You're never going to live this again.'

"This is what kids get to remember for life. When you go to your 30th reunion and you see all these guys, it's not going to be individual awards. It's going to be, 'Remember that triple overtime against Christ Church?'"