Loyola’s emotional 88-84 victory over Bradley on Monday night included everything from the Ramblers’ David Bailey’s flashy 33-point splurge, including seven three-point baskets, to a shoving match that caused the ejection of two players.
Late in the first half, as one of Bailey’s game-high six assists led to a three-point basket by Louis Smith, a scuffle broke out between Bradley’s 5-foot-11-inch point guard Marcello Robinson from Kankakee and Loyola’s 6-9 center Demetrius Williams from King High and Kennedy-King College.
After lengthy review of TV tapes, game officials ejected both players, Robinson for first shoving Williams and Williams for reacting to the shove by taking a slap at Robinson.
“I peeked over the officials’ heads as they were looking at the tape,” said Loyola coach Larry Farmer. “I saw it. The push produced the punch. . . . only it wasn’t much of a punch.”
Bradley coach Jim Les saw it that way too. He felt, however, that a push isn’t as serious an offense as a punch. “The ejection hurt us,” said Les, “because Marcello is our point guard, and he was doing a pretty good job guarding Bailey up to that point.”
The Braves could not contain the 5-8 Bailey in the Ramblers’ home opener. The senior from Westinghouse went 7-for-11 from three-point range, 3-for-8 from two-point range and sank all six free throws he attempted.
Bailey’s first flurry of threes brought back Loyola after the Braves delighted their large following among the crowd of 3,825 in the Gentile Center by reeling off 16 points in a row to take a 26-12 lead.
“We got up early and thought the game was over,” said Les, a former Notre Dame High School and Bradley star who is in his first year as head coach of his alma mater. “Loyola wanted it more than we did.”
Officials called 48 fouls, 25 on Bradley. The two teams combined to shoot 56 free throws.
When his team got into foul trouble, Farmer switched his Ramblers into a zone, and Bailey ignited a rally when he twice drove the lane, pulled up and hit 10-foot jumpers. The Ramblers stretched the lead to a seemingly safe 82-73 with 1:24 left.
Loyola’s lead quickly melted. James Gillingham, who had 24 points, Phillip Gilbert and Danny Granger each hit from three-point range as the Braves closed the score to 86-84 with 8 seconds to play.
Paul McMillan then sank two foul shots to achieve the final score with 4.9 seconds left.
