The celebration for Daniel Sackey and his Valparaiso teammates understandably was lively.

It might have been only an exhibition game on a summer foreign tour to Canada.

But for the Crusaders, especially point guard Sackey, his 3-pointer as time expired in overtime to give them an 83-80 win over Carleton was special.

The 5-foot-9 sophomore is from Winnipeg, Manitoba. And he hit that clutch shot against the team that has won 14 of the past 17 Canadian national championships, including last season.

“It was ecstatic,” Sackey said. “I haven’t hit a game-winner like that in a long, long time. And just the fact I could do it at home, against the powerhouse of Canada, it was like a storybook ending.”

Sackey’s parents and sister attended games on the trip. And they had prime seats to witness the decisive play in Valparaiso’s signature win.

“It was pretty fun,” Sackey said. “I definitely liked playing back on home soil — it’s been a while since I’ve done that. It was a good experience.”

The Crusaders made the most of their experience earlier this month. With seven players who have yet to play in a regular-season game with the team, they went 4-0. That record also included scoring the last 14 points in five minutes to beat Concordia 94-90.

Sackey, one of the trip’s standouts, was asked about his biggest takeaway.

“Even with adversity, we never give up,” he said. “We stayed on our feet and bounced back no matter what the situation was.”

It’s difficult to gauge precisely what going undefeated means for Valparaiso. But wins are wins. And the competition wasn’t soft.

“Canada basketball is no joke,” Sackey said. “Those teams are legit. Carleton has the reputation it has for a reason. There are great programs all across Canada. … Canada definitely is serious about basketball.”

Sackey is serious about his game, and he demonstrated the strides he has made since his promising freshman season.

In his debut with the Crusaders, he averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.7 steals in 17.8 minutes. He made 17 starts, with 16 coming during Missouri Valley play.

On the trip to Canada, Sackey averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in 25.3 minutes. He shot 49.0 percent (24-for-49).

Indeed, he unveiled an improved jumper, which has been a point of emphasis in the offseason.

“I’ve lived in the gym this whole summer,” Sackey said. “Any chance I got to get up shots, I got up shots, no matter what time of day it was.

“That was one thing I wanted to really focus on this season, was getting my jumper right. I’ve done that, and it’s shown.”

Valparaiso coach Matt Lottich certainly has noticed.

“Daniel’s been our hardest worker in the offseason, specifically trying to become more of a consistent shooter,” Lottich said of Sackey. “I saw Daniel play free. I saw him play with a sense of spirit that is who he is.

“I saw a confident young man, not afraid to make a mistake and playing with a free spirit.”

Viewed as a charismatic, natural leader, the energetic Sackey should continue to grow in that area.

“My confidence is up,” Sackey said. “That’s because I’ve been in the gym so much. I know what I can do now and how to do it. My confidence, it’s been a drastic change from last year to this year.”