Worcester, Mass. – In one of the most entertaining games in recent memory, Clark University rallied to force double overtime and the host Cougars outlasted Wentworth 99-94 in non-league men's basketball action in the first game of the Clark Alumni Holiday Invitational on Tuesday afternoon.

The win for the Scarlet and White snaps an eight game losing streak that dated back to the middle of November and gives them their second consecutive win over the Leopards.

For Wentworth (4-5), meanwhile, the loss sees them squander a pair of incredible individual performances by Worcester-area natives. Former Northbridge High standout Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) finished with a career-best 30 points while Kyle Romich (Groton, Mass.), who starred at Groton-Dunstable added 29 of his own.

It was a back and forth affair throughout as the score was tied 13 times and there were 12 lead changes. Wentworth led by as many as ten in the first half but the Cougars were able to claw back into the game and when Lamar Berk (Saint Augustine, Fla.) made both free throws, the score was tied at 33-33 entering halftime.

Neither team led by more than six points in the second stanza and when Luca McCormick (Bradenton, Fla.) scored inside with 1:45 left to play, Clark went ahead 69-67.

The Cougars looked to be in good shape moments later when Berk again connected on two from the charity stripe, making the score 72-69 with 19 seconds left.

Wentworth was able to work the ball around on the ensuing possession and when Sam Knollmeyer (Hampton, N.H.) found Romich, he drilled the game-tying three-pointer with nine seconds left, sending the contest into overtime.

Clark led briefly in the first extra session after a quick score from Joe Atkinson (Milford, Mass.), but the Leopards kept the Cougars at bay for most of the period. That was the case even after David Mercier (Milford, Mass.) knotted the game at 80-80 with exactly one minute left. Wentworth made their free throws and the Cougars didn't and when Romich made both of his with seven seconds left, the Leopards looked to be headed for the win column, ahead 83-80.

The Cougars called timeout and then with time running out the ball found its way to Tyler Huffman (West Hartford, Mass.), who came around a screen at the top of the three-point arc and let fly a three-pointer that circled through the nets as the horn sounded. There was a brief discussion amongst the game officials after the Huffman triple but it was determined that the shot was good, sending the contest into a second extra session.

Wentworth went ahead early in the second overtime on a Ganley drive, but the Scarlet and White forged ahead as Huffman scored six points in the frame and John Pisacreta (North Andover, Mass.) connected on a huge three-pointer, making the score 93-87.

Free throws from Atkinson, Huffman and Pisacreta in the final 26 seconds put the game away.

Both teams shot the ball extremely well, with Wentworth connecting on 53 percent of their attempts, while the Cougars weren't far off, hitting on 48 percent.

Clark had a 44-32 edge on the glass and a 19-6 edge in second chance points. The Leopards shared the ball fantastically, handing out 25 assists on their 32 made baskets – 12 of which were three-pointers.

Both teams struggled from the charity stripe with the Cougars going 30-for-43 and Wentworth making just 18-of-28, including going just 5-for-12 in the two overtime periods.

For Romich, he added seven rebounds and four assists to his 29 points before fouling out after logging a game-high 46 minutes.

Knollmeyer chipped in with 15 points for the visitors, going 5-for-9 from behind the arc, while Ian Therriault (Auburn, Maine) totaled eight points, eight rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes of action.

Clark was paced by Mercier's 21 points off the bench, while McCormick scored 16 of his 20 points after halftime.

Pisacreta ended with a career-high 13 points and Huffman posted 12 of his own – none bigger that his floating triple that kept the Cougars from their ninth straight defeat.

Berk finished with ten points and a team-high eight rebounds and Brendan Kittredge (Clinton, Mass.) provided nine points and six rebounds.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow as the Invitational wraps up. Wentworth faces Worcester State at 12:00 p.m. while the Scarlet and White host Roger Williams at 2:00 p.m.