COSTA MESA – Bryce Fitzgerald hit a 15-foot jumper with 22.9 seconds remaining in triple overtime, sending OUAZ to an exhausting 87-86 win over Vanguard in a Golden State Athletic Conference men's basketball showdown on Saturday afternoon at Orange Coast College.

The Lions had three opportunities to notch the game-winner, but could not convert in a game that had 14 ties and 19 lead changes.

VU won several key statistical battles, including points in the paint (50-32) and points off turnovers (25-14), committing 14 less turnovers (27-13) than the Spirit.

But VU could not overcome the disparity at the free throw line, as OUAZ took 30 more attempts than the Lions. The Firestorm finished 27 of 37, 73.0%, while the Lions were just 4 of 7.

However, VU had 27 more field goal attempts – and ended up shooting 40.9 (38 of 93) percent for the game, compared to 39.4 (26 of 66) percent for the Spirit. Both squads struggled from distance, with the Lions knocking down 6 of 33 (18.2%) and the Spirit 8 of 32 (25.0%).

Junior Anthony Tello recovered from an 0 of 10 shooting effort two nights earlier against Arizona Christian, pouring in 23 points. He made 10 of 18 floor shots, including three triples, and added career-highs in rebounds (6) and steals (6).

Phillip Willis played 48 of a possible 55 minutes and emptied the tank with 19 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals. He accounted for the other three of VU's six three-pointers for the game.

Jackson Larsen finished with 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting – the fourth time in the last six games he had 15 or more – but regrettably fouled out with 3:52 to go in the second overtime.

The fourth Lion double-digit scorer was Mitchell Prevost, who attacked the basket with vigor and collected a career-high 12 points, including eight in the first half as the Blue and Gold built a 43-40 halftime lead.

The Spirit got 21 points apiece from Jayce Catchings and McKay Bundy. Both players tallied double-doubles as Bundy had a game-high 12 rebounds with Catchings pulling down 10. 

Seven players competed the entire game for OUAZ with four of the five starters racking up at least 45 minutes.

In a crowded GSAC standings, the Lions (13-7, 3-4) sit in a tie for fifth, just two games out of first place. The Spirit (16-5, 5-2) are in a three-way tie for first place with ACU and Jessup.

What Happened?: Fitzgerald secured a long carom off a three-point miss from Alex Villi, and he sank a jumper from near the elbow to put OUAZ up 87-86. The Lions called their final timeout and ended up with a great look from Metz in the right corner, but his three-point attempt rimmed out. Several Lions and Spirit converged in a fight for the rebound, and an OUAZ player knocked the ball out of bounds.

Tello received the inbounds with 6.5 ticks left and drove toward the left baseline, kicking the ball out into the right corner where Micah Swartz took a contested triple. His attempt glanced off the left side of the rim. OUAZ bobbled the carom – and the ball deflected out to Metz – whose desperation heave missed as the buzzer sounded.

The Lions nearly didn't reach the third extra period after trailing 83-79 with time winding down in the second overtime. Catchings made two free throws to put the Spirit up by four. Metz raced the length of the court and banked in a layup to trim the VU deficit to 83-81 with 12.7 seconds remaining.

Tello poked away the ensuing inbounds pass by Fitzgerald, and the ball went to Metz, who hit a layup to tie the game at 83-83. The Lions stuck to OUAZ's Jacob Henry, who dribbled downcourt and took a contested jumper from the left corner that hit the rim as time expired.

In the first overtime, VU fell into a 76-70 hole after Villi and Henry buried back-to-back treys. Willis hit a huge three to bring the Lions within 76-73. Tello rebounded a Henry three-point miss and got inside for a layup to cut OUAZ's lead to one.

Willis then stole the ball for another VU possession, and Tello knocked down his jumper to give the Blue and Gold a 77-76 lead. Willis was whistled for a foul on Fitzgerald with 1:17 left, and Fitzgerald made 1 of 2 at the charity stripe to tie the score at 77-77.

The teams combined for four misses over the final minute to send the game into a second OT.

After building a three-point halftime lead, the Lions trailed by as many as six in the second half, with Lachlan Viney's triple giving the Spirit a 54-48 advantage at the 14:33 mark.

The Lions stormed back with an 11-1 run – Tello and Prevost accounting for nine of those points – as the home team claimed a 59-55 lead with 10:36 to play.

The lead seesawed within a bucket for the final six-plus minutes of regulation. Fitzgerald's three with 3:21 remaining handed OUAZ a 70-68 lead. Tello eventually tied the score on a layup with 43 seconds left, and VU then forced Henry into a turnover to set up a game-winning attempt by Willis, who missed a three with time winding down.

Why Is It Important?: The Lions are now 1-4 at OCC, with five of their final seven GSAC games on the road.

What Was Said?: "Credit OUAZ for doing what is so hard to do in this league, winning two games on the road this week," said Head Coach Rhett Soliday. "Our guys emptied the tank and left everything on the floor. We had our chances to see a couple shots go in that would have won the game and they just rimmed out. On to the next though as we have a tough Master's team to begin the second round of conference play. I have no doubt our guys will remain in the fight."

What's Next?: The Lions take on The Master's in Santa Clarita on Thursday, February 1, with tip time slated for 7:30 p.m.