Adrian, Mich. — If you've followed the 2025–26 AQ Men's Basketball team for any stretch of time, you know this group has the talent to beat anyone in the WHAC. They've taken down top-tier opponents, gone toe-to-toe with conference heavyweights, and proven they can rise to the biggest stages. And yet… they've also dropped games to teams sitting well below them in the standings. At times, it feels less like a basketball season and more like Coach Ryan Bertoia's newest game show: Will the Real AQ Saints Please Stand Up? With the Saints clinging to the final bid for the WHAC Tournament, Saturday's showdown with Siena Heights wasn't just another conference game — it was massive.
Aquinas 89, Siena Heights 81 (OT)
For 40 minutes, it looked like the roller coaster might take another sharp turn.
Siena Heights came out firing and built an early double-digit lead in the first half, forcing Aquinas to play from behind. The response came from Caden Pokorzynski. The senior was dominant early, pouring in 20 first-half points and attacking relentlessly inside. Jordan Bledsoe knocked down a pair of first-half threes, while Devon Boyd chipped in timely buckets to keep AQ within striking distance.
Despite shooting over 80 percent from the free-throw line in the first half, Aquinas trailed 38-37 at the break.
The second half turned into a heavyweight exchange. Pokorzynski continued to impose his will in the paint, finishing through contact and living at the free-throw line. Bledsoe caught fire from deep, knocking down three second-half triples, including a go-ahead three with just over two minutes remaining that gave AQ a 75-74 lead.
Siena Heights answered each time Aquinas created separation. With 1:30 remaining, Bledsoe attacked the rim and finished to put AQ back in front 77-76. Both teams traded empty possessions before Siena Heights was fouled with one second remaining and split a pair at the line, sending the game to overtime tied at 77-77.
And that's when the Saints finally stood up.
In overtime, it was Devon Boyd who took control. Boyd scored seven of AQ's 12 overtime points, including two strong finishes in the lane that pushed the Saints ahead for good. Pokorzynski added a three-point play with 1:29 left to extend the lead to four, and Bledsoe calmly buried two free throws with 32 seconds remaining to stretch the margin to six.
Tjay Jones sealed it at the line in the final seconds, and when the horn sounded, Aquinas had closed overtime on a 12-4 run.
Pokorzynski was spectacular, finishing with a game-high 36 points on 11-of-15 shooting and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line while adding nine rebounds. Bledsoe poured in 21 points, including five three-pointers. Boyd added 18 points, while Jones chipped in 10.
Aquinas shot 50 percent from the field and went 27-of-34 from the free-throw line in a pressure-packed rivalry game.
More importantly, the Saints protected their hold on the eighth and final WHAC Tournament spot — and in a season defined by inconsistency, they delivered when it mattered most.
Inside the Numbers
• 36 — Caden Pokorzynski delivered a season-defining 36-point performance.
• 12-4 — Aquinas outscored Siena Heights by eight in overtime.
• 27-of-34 — The Saints shot nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line.
• 40 — Points in the paint for AQ.
• 6 — Lead changes in a back-and-forth battle.
Coach's Comments
After the game, Head Coach Ryan Bertoia discussed the roller coaster ride this season has been but how his team will compete until the very end:
"This season hasn't been clean. We've been up, we've been down, and we've had to answer a lot of questions about who we are. But what I love about this group is they keep fighting. When it went to overtime, nobody blinked. That's growth. That's belief. We're going to compete until somebody tells us we can't anymore."
Up Next
The Saints will hope to make it two straight when they host the Golden Eagles in the final regular season home matchup for Aquinas, with a 7:30 p.m. scheduled start or 20 minutes after the women's contest. AQ Men are sitting alone in the eighth and final slot for the WHAC Tournament, and the home matchup is almost a must-win.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full post-game coverage.
