MADISON, WISC. - Saturday's Region 4 men's basketball game inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium provided plenty of ups-and-downs for both teams, and after requiring an additional five minutes to settle the score, Madison College was able to win their fifth straight game and sweep the regular season series with Carl Sandburg College with a 101-95 victory in overtime. Second year forward JP Pleasant registered his second game with better than 30 points in the last five outings, and was one of five players to score in double-figures for the #20-ranked WolfPack. The win gives the Pack a sweep of the regular season series with Chargers, who now boast a 6-2 lead in head-to-head matchups.

Madison College put together an early 10-0 to grab a 12-4 lead; however, the Chargers responded with a 9-0 surge later in the first half to tie the score at 16-16 with 8:40 to play. Pleasant then scored five points of an eight-point WolfPack burst, and when he drained a top-of-the-key three a few possessions later, the home team was right back to a double-digit lead at 29-19. Carl Sandburg College (16-9) tallied 16 of the next 23 points to close the gap to 36-35 before the Pack's Ryen Jones scored seven of the final eight points in the final minute-plus to give the hosts a 44-35 halftime lead.

The WolfPack maintained a narrow lead throughout the first five minutes of the second half until back-to-back buckets by Pleasant keyed a 9-0 run to push the advantage back to double digits at 61-49. Following a George Whaley IV layup, the scoring went dry for the Pack as Carl Sandburg College engineered ten straight points to pull with a bucket. Madison College did not relinquish the lead and eventually built it back up to as high as seven with less than seven minutes to play. The Chargers did not quit late took their first lead since the opening minutes when they went ahead 76-75. Down the stretch, both team would have an opportunity to win the game at the free throw line. After a 1 for 2 trip by CSC with 20 second left made it 82-80, Pleasant went to work with a drive to the basket followed by a spin back inside the paint for a left hand hook that splashed through to tie the game. A foul was also called, but Pleasant's potential go-ahead free throw came up empty, as did an attempt at a game-winning three pointer by the Chargers at the buzzer.



Freshman Jackson Bertagnoli came through with some clutch shots late in the second half and overtime, including giving the WolfPack the first lead of the extra session with a jumper off an offensive rebound on the first possession. After two buckets by Pleasant, Bertagnoli made a free throw and another shot that both resulted in five-point leads as the clock neared two minutes to play. After CSC sank a pair from the stripe to get within three, the visitors went just 2 for 5 over the final minutes, while the Pack slowly created some separation with an 8 for 12 effort at the line as they earned the six-point win.

Pleasant, a 6'5" native of Beaumont, Texas, scored 31 points on 11 of 18 shooting with one 3-pointer and an 8 for 14 performance at the free throw line. He completed his fourth double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. Pleasant, who scored 16 of his points in the first half, owns 13 games this season with ten or more points, including four with 20 or better.

Jones registered a career-best 21 points as the Lawrenceville, Georgia, native, went 6 for 13 from the floor and sank 9 of 11 free throws. The 6'5" forward added seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Bertagnoli, playing in just his fourth game since joining the team, scored a career-high 13 points. The former Janesville Craig HS athlete finished 3 for 5 with one 3-pointer and was 6 of 8 at the charity stripe.



Whaley and Jevon Campbell rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points each. The former was 3 for 9 with a triple and five free throws, while latter reached his third game with ten or more points thanks to a 5 for 10 effort overall that included one hit from long range and one free throw. The guard tandem also combined for ten rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. 

Madison College finished the game 31 for 65 (47%), including a 5 for 16 (31%) showing from three-point territory. Thanks to five player fouling out for the Chargers, the WolfPack shot a season-high 34 of 47 free throws, the most makes and attempts since a 40 for 53 game at Malcolm X College in November 2019.

The WolfPack won the points in the paint battle by a 46-36 margin, and also owned a 16-10 lead in second chance points.

Up Next:

Madison College (17-3) has won the first four games of this current five-game homestand, which wraps up Tuesday, February 4 against Joliet Junior College (17-5). The Wolves, who were ranked #4 in last week's NJCAA Division III Poll, own a 28-10 lead in the all-time series. Tip off inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium is at 7:30 p.m. and can be live streamed at MadisonCollege.TV.

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