By Paul Bergeron
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, January 21, 2006; E09
Playing its fifth game in eight days, the Paul VI Catholic boys' basketball team did not figure to have much energy left for its home game with O'Connell last night. But squaring off against a rival -- and trying to beat the Knights for the first time in nearly three years -- was just enough for the Panthers.
Senior guard Jean Cajou scored eight points in the third overtime to help the sixth-ranked Panthers outlast No. 10 O'Connell, 79-70, in a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference game in Fairfax.
The win kept Paul VI (14-4, 7-2) in third place in the league and ended a six-game drought to the Knights. O'Connell fell to 9-6, 4-4.
Cajou was sidelined temporarily in the closing minutes because of cramps, but after a momentary rest, he decided it was his turn to rally the team.
"I rested for a minute and then just went to our coach and told him I had to get back in there," said Cajou, who finished with 21 points.
His three-point play gave Paul VI a 72-67 lead with 1 minute 20 seconds left in the third overtime, the biggest lead by either team since O'Connell held a 59-54 edge early in the first overtime.
"The game could have gone either way," Panthers Coach Levi Franklin said. "We were tired, but we got our legs back. We had to dig deep. A couple of years ago, Cajou would have looked to his seniors to win a game like this. Here, he knew he would have to be the one to do it."
A basket by the Panthers' Donald Johnson (10 points) opened the scoring one minute into the third overtime. After Cajou's three-point play, forward Jervon Wright sank 1 of 2 foul shots for O'Connell -- the only point the Knights scored in the third overtime.
Cajou then called for the ball and drove to the basket on three of his team's next four possessions. Each time he drew a foul. He sank five of the six free throws, getting his own rebound on the one miss and then drawing a foul.
"We've been through a lot of conditioning this year, including during the preseason," he said. "And we needed that tonight."
O'Connell forced overtime when guard Jason Colenda tied the game with a six-foot jumper with 7.6 seconds left. Colenda, who finished with 20 points, and Wil Johnson (15 points) each hit three-pointers to keep O'Connell in the game in the first overtime.
Paul VI 79, O'Connell 70 (3 OT) Doesn't Get Easier: After having played five games in eight days, Paul VI is off until Tuesday. But then it faces No. 4 St. John's, which defeated the Panthers, 73-69, on Dec. 13. O'Connell Girls Win: In the first game of last night's doubleheader, O'Connell beat Paul VI, 64-40. Jackie Tinsley and Chastity Clayton each scored 17 points for the Knights.