GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The calendar may still say February, but for Coach Ryan Bertoia and his Aquinas Saints, March Madness has officially arrived. In a thrilling WHAC Tournament first-round matchup, the Saints erased an 11-point deficit and delivered a clutch final stretch to claim a 74-66 comeback victory over Cleary at the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center.

Round 1: Aquinas 74, Cleary 66 – WHAC Men's Basketball Tournament

At halftime, a Saints victory seemed unlikely. Cleary shot a blistering 55.9% from the field in the opening half, using dominant play in the post to take a 44-38 lead. While Aquinas shot a respectable 48.4%, they couldn't seem to break through, as the Cougars twice extended their advantage to 11 points.

Coach Ryan Bertoia and his staff made a crucial halftime adjustment, choosing to double-team Cleary's dominant post players. The defensive switch paid off immediately, as the Cougars' shooting cooled to just 33% in the second half, allowing Aquinas to slowly claw its way back into the game.

"We allowed their post players to get in too deep, and they have two of the best in the conference," Bertoia explained. "In the second half, we decided to double them, and that led to them shooting just 33%, which was the difference in the game."

A Wild Final Three Minutes

With 2:55 remaining, Cleary's Chris Williams scored in transition, giving the Cougars a 66-59 lead. The Saints were running out of time, but Jack Futa buried a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four, setting the stage for an unforgettable finish.

Aquinas forced a turnover on the next possession, and Ryan Weir delivered one of the biggest shots of the season, drilling a deep three-pointer from near Lake Michigan to pull the Saints within one. Just five seconds later, Devon Boyd corralled a rebound, quickly found Weir in transition, and the junior guard hit another NBA-range three to give Aquinas its first and only lead of the game, 68-66, with 1:15 remaining.

With the momentum fully shifted, Boyd sealed the victory at the free-throw line, sinking four straight clutch shots, while Weir added two more to complete the 15-0 run and punch Aquinas' ticket to the next round.

"Ryan Weir is a winner, the kid always believes. He hits big shots," said Bertoia. "The second half, we just played. The magic of March—our guys stay believing."

You can't just read this one, to view the end (and I strongly suggest turning the volume down as the announcer is kind of loud), click here: https://aqsaints.com/watch/?Live=959&type=Live

Key Stats and Contributions

Aquinas narrowly out-rebounded Cleary 35-34 and had contributions from across the roster, with eight Saints recording both points and rebounds. While Cleary dominated inside with a 28-16 advantage in points in the paint, the Saints more than made up for it from beyond the arc, knocking down 11-of-27 three-pointers, while Cleary struggled at 4-of-20.

Aquinas also won the battle at the free-throw line, converting 15-of-18 attempts (83.3%), compared to Cleary's 6-of-8 (75%).

Top Performers

• Devon Boyd – Game-high 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
• Caden Pokorzynski – Double-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 assists
• Jacob Howard (off the bench) – 9 points, 2 rebounds
• Ryan Weir (off the bench) – 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
• Bench Points – Aquinas 24, Cleary 13

Coach's Take

Head Coach Ryan Bertoia summed up the emotional victory, emphasizing the importance of belief in tournament basketball, "Oh man, that's tournament basketball this time of year. Every possession matters. There are going to be highs, there are going to be lows, but you just gotta believe, and as long as you believe, you got a chance."

Looking Ahead

Aquinas now advances to the WHAC Tournament semifinals, where they will travel to Ft. Wayne to take on Indiana Tech on Thursday at 7:00 PM. The Saints will need to carry this momentum into what promises to be another intense battle on the road.