Notre Dame beats Whitfield in overtime thriller

The Notre Dame Bulldogs used a gritty performance in a 65-60 win over the 10th-ranked Whitfield Warriors on Wednesday at Notre Dame Regional High School.

The game was tied at 60 when Will Henry Steward drove the lane and was fouled and the sophomore came up clutch knocking down a pair of free throws that served as the game-winner.

“He stepped up,” Bulldogs coach Paul Unterreiner said. “That’s the best game he’s had in a Notre Dame Uniform.”

Steward finished the game with 20 points on two made threes and a 6-for-7 night from the free throw line.

Out of the gates Notre Dame came out hot leading 19-9 after the first quarter. However, late in the second quarter the Warriors turned up the tempo defensively and cut the lead to 30-25 heading into halftime.

“They kicked our butts from the last couple minutes of the second quarter through the third quarter,” Unterreiner said. “They took it to us and we weren’t very tough, but then I saw a resilient team of mine. They’ve proven that the whole season. The wins haven’t added up but we’re in a lot of games. I couldn’t be any more proud of these guys tonight.”

Late in the fourth, the Bulldogs trailed 50-49 when Reece Callow turned the ball over, resulting in 2 points for the Warriors. On the ensuing Notre Dame possession Callow came through with a big three to tie the game.

“The thing with these guys right now is that they have to get over a mistake and move on,” Unterreiner said. “Dwelling on a mistake doesn’t do us any good.”

The Bulldogs were without two key players in Greg Dennis and Will Morgan in the win over Whitfield.

“We’ve been shorthanded in every game it feels like but the next guy is always stepping up and playing hard,” Unterreiner said. “These younger guys are getting valuable experience with some of our horses being either hurt or sick.”

Following up Steward’s 20-point night was Kolton Johnson with 12 points and Logan Landewee with 11 points.

Notre Dame (7-9) will go for its third straight win at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 when the Bulldogs host the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders at Notre Dame Regional High School.