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SOU cages Sunbirds in overtime Strickler atones for untimely foul By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN ASHLAND -- The Southern Oregon University Raiders had to work overtime to claim third place Saturday night in the Rodeway Inn Classic men's basketball tournament. SOU guard Obie Strickler and forward Shavon Haynes both scored four points in overtime to help the Raiders defeat Fresno Pacific, 94-87, at McNeal Pavilion. Strickler, a former Grants Pass High point guard, fouled Fresno Pacific guard Charles Butcher with five-tenths of a second left in regulation play with SOU leading 80-77. The foul sent Butcher to the free-throw line with three shots and a chance to send the game into overtime. Butcher made all three free throws to tie the score at 80 and force the five-minute overtime. In the extra session, Strickler made a layup and gunned in a 17-foot jump shot with 2:25 to play to help the Raiders take a 90-87 lead and provide them with their margin of victory. Haynes hit a 17-foot jump shot with 3:12 left and converted two free throws with 16 seconds left to seal SOU's second win against three losses. "I'm just glad we didn't get shut out of our own tournament," SOU coach Brian McDermott said. "We played a lot better tonight. In fact, we played our best basketball so far this season in this tournament." SOU led Willamette by nine points Friday night in the second half of an opening-round tournament game before losing to the Bearcats, 67-54. "I still think we're going to be a real good team when we get things together," said SOU junior guard Tom Chipps, who led the Raiders with 19 points despite playing on a sprained right ankle. "It hurts like crazy," said Chipps, who missed two games due to the injury before returning to the Raiders for the tournament. "But it's time for me to play." Junior forward Baron Lacy made his first start for the Raiders and responded by scoring 17 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Both are career highs. "I don't think it had much to do with starting, but coming in and playing as hard as I could when I got the chance," said Lacy. "I want to contribute and help us win. I don't care that much if I don't start. "I was thinking at the end that all of my personal statistics would be irrelevant if we lost. It's a win that helps our confidence. But we still have a lot of challenges ahead." Southern Oregon never trailed. The Raiders built leads of 33-22 with 5:26 left in the first half, and they led 67-60 with 5:18 to play on an eight-foot bank shot by Chipps. After Chipps made one of two free throws to give SOU a 68-62 lead, Joe Aiello scored a rare four-point play on a 3-point field goal and free throw to cut the lead to 68-66. Haynes scored four straight points and Strickler made a layup and 17-foot jump shot to keep SOU in front precariously at 74-71. But Fresno Pacific, led by 6-foot-10 center Nick French, wouldn't go away. French scored five straight points for the Sunbirds to narrow the SOU lead to 76-74, but a 3-point play by Chipps made it 79-74 with 37 seconds left. Two free throws by Strickler gave SOU its 80-77 lead with 23 seconds left before the fateful foul by Strickler. "We wanted to jump out at him and not give him an uncontested look," said McDermott. "But we didn't want to foul." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.