In a dramatic opening round of the Baha Mar Hoops Championship, No. 13 Baylor overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to defeat No. 22 St. John’s 99-98 in double overtime. Jeremy Roach’s buzzer-beating three-pointer capped an incredible comeback for the Bears, who displayed grit and resilience after struggling early.
Jeremy Roach led Baylor with 20 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds, while freshman VJ Edgecombe contributed 10 points who is also the first Bahamian born player to get a scholarship to a D1 school. Norchad Omier added a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. For St. John’s, Zuby Ejiofor was dominant, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds and 5 blocks, but missed 2 free throws with 4.1 seconds left. The game did have controversy as it appears the game clock did not start immediately when the ball was touched after Ejiofor’s 2nd miss.
St. John’s raced to a 41-23 lead in the first half behind their hot shooting and aggressive defense. Baylor’s adjustments after halftime, including stronger defensive pressure and better ball movement, allowed them to chip away at the deficit. Roach hit several critical shots in the final minutes of regulation to force overtime, where Baylor capitalized on their momentum.
“We’ve got a group that doesn’t quit,” said Baylor coach Scott Drew. “Even when it seemed like things weren’t going our way, the guys stuck together.”
St. John’s coach Rick Pitino expressed disappointment but commended his players: “We let some key opportunities slip, but this game will make us stronger.” Pitino was also upset over Drew asking for a review before Ejiofor’s free throws.
Baylor now advances to the tournament finals against Tennessee, while St. John’s looks to regroup and build on their strong start to the season in the consolation game tomorrow against Virginia.
