St. Joe's beats LIU Brooklyn in overtime

St. Joseph's freshman forward James Demery won't soon forget the first three-pointer of his college career.

The shot sent the game into overtime and St. Joseph's prevailed, 74-70, over LIU Brooklyn on Tuesday in an NIT Season Tip-Off game at Hagan Arena.

Demery's three-pointer a few feet from the left corner with 3.7 seconds remaining tied the score at 67. LIU Brooklyn missed a desperation three-pointer, sending the game to OT.

The Hawks' DeAndre' Bembry, who had 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, drew a double team and fed an open Demery.

"I was wide open, so I thank him for trusting me," said Demery, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds.

Demery had a good feeling when he put up the shot.

"It felt good," said Demery, who noted that he made three game-winners in high school. "Every shot I take - even though I might miss - feels good, but I just have to follow through, which the coaches have been telling me."

In the extra period, with his team leading, 71-70, Bembry blocked a shot by Martin Hermannsson with 7.9 seconds left and was fouled. Hermannsson, one of two Blackbirds players from Iceland, had made two driving layups near the end of regulation.

Bembry made one of two free throws.

Hermannsson "drove by me a couple of times earlier in the game and I knew we needed that stop for the game-winner, so I made the stop and grabbed the rebound," said Bembry, who played 44 minutes.

With LIU trailing, 72-70, Gerrell Martin missed a three-point attempt and St. Joseph's swingman Aaron Brown, who had 15 points off the bench, was fouled and made two free throws to end the scoring.

The young Hawks are 3-2; LIU Brooklyn fell to 0-2.

Committed. Pierfrancesco "Checco" Oliva, a 6-foot-7 senior forward from Italy who attends New Jersey's Bergen Catholic, has made an oral commitment to St. Joseph's. Last season in 18 games for Bergen Catholic, he averaged 10.7 points and 8.6 rebounds.