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When Sports Were Played: Cal’s longest basketball game ends with victory

5 min read

The “When Sports Were Played” for today revisits the PSAC basketball game between California and Edinboro that was played Feb. 4, 1989. It lasted five overtimes and was a test of each team’s stamina, depth and determination.

EDINBORO – This was the longest night spent on a basketball court by a California University team. And it certainly will be remembered as one of the school’s finest three hours.

Joe Miller scored 42 points and grabbed 19 rebounds and the Vulcans’ maligned bench delivered when it had to Saturday night as California edged Edinboro 128-122 at McComb Field House in the longest game in California and Edinboro basketball histories.

The five-overtime victory, which took 65 minutes of playing time instead of the regulation 40 for California to secure, raises the Vulcans’ record to 4-2 at the halfway point of the conference season. The Vulcans are now 15-5 overall.

Edinboro drops to 2-4 in the league and 9-10 overall.

“What you saw tonight was six basketball games,” an emotionally drained California head coach Jim Boone said. “You saw the regulation 40 minutes and it was great. Then you saw five five-minute games in which both teams’ kids lay their hearts on the floor and put everything on the line.

“This was like a marathon runner. The true test is not always running but the test is mental toughness. Can you mentally outlast your opponent? That was the difference tonight. Our players were determined to outlast the other guys. They kept saying in the huddle they weren’t going to let Edinboro take this one away.”

The longest game in California history prior to this was a 91-89 loss to Philadelphia Textile in 1984 which last four overtimes. In this meeting, both teams had chances to end things much quicker than a fifth extra period.

In regulation, Edinboro’s Adrian Batts, who finished with 20 points, missed an 18-foot jumper with two seconds to play. The game was tied 68-68.

In the first overtime, Edinboro led by six points (76-70) with 1:54 left to play but the Vulcans fought back to pull within two and Miller scored on an offensive rebound with nine seconds left to tie the game at 77-77. Edinboro’s Billy Wade, who finished with 16 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots, had a 20-foot jumper bounce off the rim at the buzzer.

In the second overtime, Edinboro jumped to an 81-77 lead but California tied the game at 85-85 when Adrian Townsend sank two foul shots with 44 seconds left. Edinboro’s Eric Trosch missed an 18-foot jumper with two seconds left to play to send the game into a third overtime.

In the third overtime, California finally took its first lead of the extra play and led by four points with 1:17 left. But the Fighting Scots took a 96-95 lead on a basket by Trosch, a steal and basket by Batts and a free throw by Jimmy Johnson.

California’s Chris Falls then had the game in his hands with four seconds left to play with two free throws. He made the first, but after two Edinboro timeouts, missed the second to keep the game going at 96-96.

“It really wasn’t that tough shooting fouls,” Falls said. “In fact, I thought the second one was good.”

The fourth overtime was a matter of matching points by the teams, which were mostly comprised of reserves. California took a 111-108 lead with 22 seconds left to play on two foul shots by Phil Stewart, but Edinboro’s Shawn Mehok sent the game to a fifth overtime when he hit a three-point shot with 14 seconds left. The overtime ended on a note of controversy when Cal’s Rick Hill appeared to have a shot interfered with on the rim by Edinboro’s Xavier Williams.

In the fifth overtime, with Miller, Tim Brown, Hill, Stewart and Falls on the floor, California finally took control in the final 1:40. Stewart hit a pair of free throws to give California a four-point lead, and the crucial play of the final overtime came when Brown, who finished with 22 points and played 62 minutes, had a steal and layup to give Cal a 125-120 edge with 57 seconds left.

Seven players for Edinboro fouled out, including Aaron Brown, who finished with 28 points, Trosch (18), Wade and Johnson (11). Three California players, Carlton Wade (17 points), Marshall Kenly (15) and Townsend (six) eventually fouled out.

“I never, ever have been involved in anything like this,” California’s Miller, who played 63 minutes, said. “I think the difference is that championship teams find ways to win games like this and we are the defending PSAC champions. And it also proves our bench can do the job. They did a hell of a job with most of our starters out. It was a great win but all I know right now is I’m tired. Really tired.”

Said Falls, “It was kind of scary to get into a game like this. I haven’t gotten to play too much, and I was a little nervous considering the situation. But once I got in, and got to play a little the nerves went away and my adrenalin was really going.”

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