Had ESPN’s camera crews been there, the outcome would have been different.

Calumet used a banked-in three pointer from half court to tie the score 71-71 at the end of regulation and eventually captured a 91-81 win over the Leafs following a pair of overtime stanzas, even though video proved the half-court Hail Mary was actually after the final horn had sounded. Calumet’s Janine Hudson stumbled near half court and hoisted a high-arching shot that clanged off the backboard and sunk through the net, as the trail official frantically counted the basket as good.

Game footage proved starkly otherwise, however, as Hudson still had the ball in his hands as the final horn sounded.

Calumet and Goshen (3-6, 0-1) each scored seven points in the first overtime stanza to remain tied at 78-78, but the host Crimson Wave were far more effective in the second extra period: Calumet outscored the Leafs by a 13-3 score in the second overtime, cruising to the 91-81 win under the most bizarre of circumstances.

While it was not made public as to whether the Goshen College men’s basketball program will file a grievance with the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference over the officials’ decision, Daugherty was focused on what his team could have done better and what it will need to do to win close games in the future.

“We talked before this game about the challenges of playing again on the road and how we can learn from a new opponent,” Daugherty said. “We had spent the weekend in practice working on our fundamentals and not preparing specifically for Calumet College. I thought that we came out and played very well for most of the regulation game. It wasn’t until the final eight minutes or so that we began to lose some sharpness on both ends of the floor.”

Daugherty’s squad traded baskets with Calumet through the first 10 minutes of Monday’s contest, only to capture a five-point lead with 6:59 to play off a three-ball from senior David Haire. Calumet responded to tie the game with 2:23 to play, and Goshen took a narrow 35-33 lead into the locker room at halftime.

It was at the outset of the second half that the Leafs put forth their best basketball, racing out to a 13-point lead — a 59-46 advantage — with just 8:25 remaining in regulation. Goshen’s biggest advantage of the contest came off steady ball movement and a relentless effort on the defensive end of the floor, as the Leafs held Calumet to a three of 10 shooting effort in the midst of that stretch.

“We made some good adjustments on defense in the first 32 minutes to defend their best scorers,” Daugherty said. “We had moments on offense when we shared the ball and shot well. We played nine guys in double-figure minutes and they all contributed in different areas to our game. The biggest disappointment was our lack of adjustments defensively in the final eight minutes. We had built a 13-point lead and they started running (senior Evinn) Herring off of more screens to try and get him a shot. We didn't respond very well to their offensive change. At the same time, we played a little impatient with the lead. We are getting better at playing with a lead, but we need to understand that we must move more without the ball and we have to take care of the ball.”

Herring — who led all scorers with 33 points, 27 of which came after halftime — began to look for his perimeter jump shot more often, and also got to the free throw line 13 times as a result. Goshen still led by eight points (63-58) with 4:33 remaining in regulation, but Calumet refused to go away quietly. A huge three pointer from Herring gave the Crimson Wave a 68-67 lead with 33 seconds to play, but it was Goshen’s turn to show its collective poise. Freshman Nate West drew a foul on the Leafs’ next possession and calmly sunk both free throws. Daugherty’s team recorded a big defensive stop on Calumet’s next trip down the floor, and junior Brice Hartman snagged an impressive defensive board. Fouled immediately, Hartman calmly knocked in his free throws to make it a 71-68 Goshen lead with five seconds remaining.

Calumet took a timeout.

ESPN still wasn’t on site.

Hudson received the ball in the front court as freshman Errick McCollum pressured the ball. Hudson turned to the far sideline and momentarily lost the ball as McCollum went for the steal. With the clock approaching zeroes, Hudson secured the ball and hoisted it from one step over the half-court line.

With the Goshen bench screaming that the shot was late, the miraculous occurred.

First, the ball somehow went in.

Second, the officials counted it as happening before the buzzer sounded.

“We wanted to make them dribble to use up time,” Daugherty said of the final sequence. “We talked about fouling the point guard at mid-court so he wouldn't get a shot. We did everything well but we didn't foul him and he hits a shot from mid-court to put it into overtime. We definitely put ourselves in position to win, but didn't execute what we wanted defensively and they hit a highly unlikely shot.”

Forced by circumstance to respond, Goshen gave it a stellar effort. A made bucket from Hartman gave the Leafs an early 73-71 lead in the first overtime, though a made free throw and a made bucket from Herring on Calumet’s next two possessions gave the hosts a 74-73 advantage. After a Goshen turnover, Calumet converted for a 76-73 lead, but Haire was there for Goshen on its next possession, knocking in a game-tying three-ball with 2:18 to play.

Senior Willie Frazier — playing in front of his East Chicago-home fans — made a basket inside for a 78-76 lead, but again Goshen fouled Herring on Calumet’s next possession.

The game tied at 78-78, Goshen had a chance to win in the first OT. McCollum took a driving shot to the left wing, but his shot was long at the buzzer.

As the second overtime commenced, it looked as if Goshen was simply out of gas. Calumet raced off to an 85-81 lead and Herring buried his fourth three pointer of the game to make it an 88-81 lead with 1:14 remaining. A period-opening three pointer by Haire accounted for all of the Leafs’ scoring in the final stanza, as Goshen went just one of seven from the floor in the final overtime.

“I thought we responded well in the first overtime and had the ball at the end to win the game,” Daugherty said. “Again, we didn't execute well to get a good shot. In the second overtime, I thought we forced a lot of things on offense when we got behind. It is tough to keep your composure in that situation, but we have to learn to handle the toughest of situations while playing a tight ball game. Hopefully, we will keep in mind our objective to learn something new that will help us in conference play. We have been playing some good ball on the road, now we have to execute better in the final minutes to turn those efforts into wins.”

Hartman led Goshen’s scoring pace, notching 17 points and a game-high seven boards. Haire scored 14 points on a five for five shooting effort, while McCollum scored 13. West added 10 points and five rebounds. Frazier grabbed four boards and scored six points.

The loss was not the first-buzzer beating or non-beating conclusion in recent memory for the Leafs, as last year’s senior night contest against Grace College ended in similar fashion (click here for article). The contest was Goshen’s first to go to double-overtime since Daugherty took over the program at the outset of the 2001-2002 season, however.

The Leafs will return to Mid-Central Conference play next, as the team will travel to Spring Arbor University on Saturday. Game time is set for 3 p.m.