Bookstore Basketball XXX: Versatility edges Killer Boots
By KATHLEEN O'BRIEN
Senior Staff Writer
It takes heart to come from behind for the 21-19 victory like Versatility did Thursday.
"When you get down to the final 16," said VersatilityŐs Chris Dillon, "you expect every game to be close. Obviously, it was a little closer than we would have liked."
Versatility entered the match-up against Killer Boots, Man! as the decided favorite. Versatility held the No. 2 seed in the tourney, and has taken its game into the Final Four each of the past two years. Killer Boots, Man! was the No. 15 seed, and only got into the Sweet 16 when Boat Club, which defeated Killer Boots in the round of 32, was disqualified for using an ineligible player Tony Rice.
The rankings didn't mean much in the Versatility-Killer Boots contest, as Versatility held its last lead at 3-2 and trailed by as many as four midway through the game. Dave Marchiano, Mike Eades, Andrew Orosz and Mike Hoefling received a huge height boost when they replaced an injured player with 6-foot-8 assistant men's basketball coach Evan Preston Thursday afternoon.
But betting on Versatility to make its free throws would have made a jackpot of money. Versatility, down 16-14, scored six of its last seven points on free throws, with four players getting in on the charity work.
"They hit their foul shots," said Killer Boots' Dave Marchiano, a lights-out shooter in the first half. "The foul shots were really clutch."
John Hiltz of Versatility, a walk-on for the Irish men's basketball team in 1999-2000, brought the heart to nail the final two free throws. His heart may have been beating a little bit faster, but it was nothing compared to the way it used to race back in high school.
"When I would play basketball," Hiltz said, "my heart would race and go up to like 250 beats a minute, and I would get tired."
Although Hiltz kept playing high school ball, the heart problem hampered his game.
"The doctors couldn't diagnose it until my freshman year," Hiltz said. "Once I had surgery to fix that, I was able to play. My endurance was a lot better and I was able to play at a much higher level."
The surgery took place just in time for Hiltz to play Bookstore Basketball as a freshman in 1999. He and three Keough Hall sectionmates — Joe Lillis, Jason Childress and Chris Dillon — teamed up with James Cochran. The unseeded Versatility squad went all the way to the championships, where it lost to Malicious Prosecution.
As a sophomore, Hiltz was in good enough shape to try out for the varsity men's basketball squad. He made the team, and saw action in several games for coach Matt Doherty.
"It was something I'd wanted to do my whole life," said Hiltz.
No walk-ons made the team this year, Mike Brey's first as the head coach for the Irish.
"I was disappointed, but I undersand that it's his philosophy," Hiltz said. "He's the coach and he didn't take anybody. That's his prerogative. The bottom line is, if you're a good enough player, you make the team."
Without Hiltz last year, Versatility advanced to the Final Four before losing to eventual champions Keyplay.com. This year, Lillis, Childress, Dillon and Hiltz are reunited, with the addition of senior Tim Greene.
"Both years, we lost to the champions, so this year, we're hoping it will be us," said Dillon.
All Sports Stories for Friday, April 27, 2001
