Playing on the road is always tough, especially when wearing a new Top 5 ranking which paints a fresh target squarely on your back. Even tougher is playing away versus a team that swept a two-game series from you the previous season, and who is now on a three-game win streak having taken down the No. 12 team on the road earlier in the week.
One would have to expect a serious head on collision when two teams who appear to be gathering momentum meet. The Golden Eagles (12-6) sporting a lofty No. 4 ranking and Miami Middletown (8-10) with their new-found sense of urgency and a 3-1 record in the new year, did battle on Saturday afternoon in the Thunderhawks gym.
It was Miami Middletown winning the war, 88-79, in a close game that came down to the commission of 26 turnovers which MUM turned into 30 points---21 of them in transition. Anemic free throw shooting by the Eagles and hot shooting by a pair of Thunderhawks players in the final half also did KSU Tusc in.
The Eagles fell behind early, committing a number of turnovers as the Thunderhawks leapt to a 10-2 lead. The defiict grew to 16 points twice in the half with MUM holding 22-6 and 29-13 leads. Late in the half and down 40-30, the Eagles galiantly fought back and closed the margin to a basket thanks to a 9-2 run to end the half. Two Vinnie Roper baskets, one off a steal and the other an offensive stick back that led to an old fashioned three point play, along with a London Cobbs bank shot at the buzzer closed the opening act with the hosts holding a slim 42-39 lead. Cobbs kept KSU Tusc close in the stanza by scoring 18 points on seven two-point field goals and four free throws while also converting on two three point plays the hard way.
In the final 20 minutes the Thunderhawks outshot the navy and gold from the floor making 17 field goals compared to 14 action shots for the Eagles. The Eagles however, had their chances. They tied the game 48-48 on a ZaMar Harris jumper in the lane and surged into the lead shortly after when Harris was fouled making a 12 foot baseline shot to make the score 51-50. A Kyle Shockley drive to the basket moments later produced a 54-50 lead when he made the lay up and converted on a free throw.
MUM was able to withstand the rally and went back on top 64-58 with seven minutes left in the game. And each time the Eagles fought to within striking distance of the lead, Middletown answered courtesy of a KSU Tusc foul or turnover. They took a 10-point (70-60) lead and were able to hold KSU Tusc at bay for the rest of the way. MUM's Mario Caywood sank 18 of his 20-point total for the game in the last half, while Lorenzo Sparks stepped to the charity stripe and converted on 7/10 attempts adding 14 second half points.
Down the stretch the Golden Eagles stumbled making just 10/17 chances (56%).
Leading the way for the Eagles was Cobbs with 25 points, while ZaMar Harris and Kyle Shockley both scored 11---Shockley's points all coming the final half.
With the loss the Golden Eagles see their season record drop to 12-7 and they have now lost two games in a row. They had hoped to build-back some confidence before traveling back to Buffalo again on Tuesday, this time to meet up with No. 6 ranked Villa Maria College, a team they beat at home just one week ago.
London Cobbs led all scorers at Miami Middletown with 25 points.
Braden Rostad fires a three with a MUM defender flying at him.
(Photos by Jason Keller)