DOVER, Del. - Wesley College's Paul Reynolds (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) stole the ball with one second left to preserve a 75-74 win to push the Wolverines into the CAC Championship game for the third straight year.
Salisbury (12-15) had called a last second timeout with 1.8 seconds left. Inbounding between the bench and midcourt, Drew Pearman's pass to Chris McGrew was tipped away by Wesley's (17-9) sophomore forward, who then wrapped up the ball and the victory.
The Wolverines got 22 points apiece from Darrell Johnson (New Castle, Del./Howard) and Chris Douglas (Landover, Md./Jericho Prep Academy). Johnson added 10 rebounds in the game, as well. Douglas, who had made just 11 threes all season, sank 4-of-5 in the contest.
Reynolds gave Wesley two players with double-doubles, scoring 15 points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds. He also had four steals in the game.
Wesley needed the big games from that trio to offset a 34 point night by McGrew, who hit 13-of-17 shots for Salisbury and scored his 1,000th point in the game.
The Sea Gulls took an early lead, using a 12-4 run to build a 25-18 advantage after a lay up by Eric Johnson with 7:48 left in the first half.
The Wolverines regrouped, however, and tied the game at 30-30 with 4:01 left in the half on a pair of Douglas free throws, before taking a 38-35 lead into the break.
In the second half, Douglas' fourth three of the game put the Wolverines up 69-58 with just 5:23 left, but the Sea Gulls mounted a comeback. A three by Mike Atkins chipped the lead to just one with 1:50 to go in the ballgame, 73-72.
A Darrell Johnson layup 15 seconds later extended the lead back to three, but Salisbury's Eric Johnson pulled the Sea Gulls to within a single point with just 44 left on the clock.
Wesley came up empty on its next possession and after a Salisbury timeout, Devin Posey was nearly trapped, forcing another timeout with just 1.8 left.
Pearman and Mike Maczko each notched 11 for Salisbury. Maczko added a team-high eight boards.
The Wolverines held a 37-29 advantage to overcome a 53 percent shooting effort by Salisbury.
Wesley will travel to St. Mary's (Md.) for the CAC Championship for the second straight year. The two teams have combined to win the last three conference titles.