Fifteen days ago, Kent State Tuscarawas literally stole a 10-point win over Penn State Beaver on the Roaring Lions home floor. The final margin of that game was not indicative of how close the game really was.
Tuesday night's rematch in Founders Hall had all the markings of a trap game for the Eagles---winners of three in a row and ranked fifth in the USCAA---even when they ripped off a 10-0 run to take an 11-point first half lead (26-15) late in the first half things just didn't feel right. Then the tenth ranked Lions would score the last eight tallies of the opening half to close to 28-26 and things got even tighter in the second half.
The game would finish with a flurry of activity in the last 1:29 and when the dust settled, the battle-weary Eagles were the last team standing in a 58-57 win.
In the second half, KSU Tuscarawas fell behind 36-32 before a Kyle Shockley triple put them on top 38-35. The Lions however, came right back and tied the game 38-38 with 14:06 left to play as the two teams struggled to get separation from one another.
The Eagles finally gained some traction and led by as many as six points (51-45) on a Jordan Stevens three-ball from the deep left corner at the 7:38 mark. That lead however was short-lived as the Lions roared back to tie things at 55-55 with 1:29 to play.
With :42.2 left, Kameron Shockley buried a triple from near the top of the key to spot the Eagles to a 58-55 advantage. The action happened after Kyle Shockley stole a Lions pass and raced the length of the court for a layup attempt. He was knocked to the floor but a foul was not called and the Eagles scrambled for the loose ball as it bounced into the right corner of the floor. Braden Rostad secured the errant sphere and passed it back inside to Kyle Shockley on the low block. Shockley wheeled into the lane and fired a pass to brother Kameron who drilled the big three-ball from dead on at the top of the key.
Thankfully, breathing room. But the Eagles were not out of the woods just yet.
At :21.2 seconds left and the shot clock winding down, the Lions got a basket in the lane to pull to within 58-57 and called timeout.
With the game still hanging in the balance, you could easily fit in any coaching cliché, "it's not over until it's over", "survive and advance", "live to fight another day" to describe the ending.
On the ensuing inbounds, Rostad fired a long pass downcourt to DeJuan Lawrence who broke free past a Lions defender. It was the perfect opportunity to slam home a win, but Lawrence fumbled the ball off his knee and out of bounds. Possession Lions.
The Eagles called timeout to set up their defense while clinging to a one-point lead.
KSU Tusc employed full court pressure to slow down the Lions advance and with the seconds waning a Lions player slipped into the lane about eight feet away from the basket. His off-balance floater was emphatically knocked out of the air by the Eagles Vinnie Roper who blocked the path to the basket and the ball went out of bounds with :01.9 seconds left. Possession Lions.
Then the Eagles called one last timeout to set up their defense after seeing the Lions out of bounds play set up.
The Eagles did a great job of denying an inbounds to the lane after double screening action under the Lions basket. The pass went was forced to a lesser option Lions player on the low block who was forced to shoot a fall away jumper to get clear of KSU Tusc defenders. The shot was well-defended by Kameron Shockley and the aforementioned Roper. One of the Golden Eagles defender's fingertips caused the ball to fall out of the air like a dying quail short of its mark as the final buzzer sounded signifying a Golden Eagles victory.
For the Eagles who improve to 6-2 on the season, JaJuantae Young had a personal season best 11 points and Kameron Shockley added 10. Shockley also added 10 rebounds and three assists to his stat line. Lawrence snared 10 missed shots as well.
As a team, KSU Tusc survived on just 34% shooting from the floor and made only 5/10 free throws. They did hold a 41-32 rebound advantage---16 on the offensive glass---and outscored the Lions with 16 points off turnovers and 16 second chance points (32 in total), while limiting the Penn Staters to five points off Golden Eagles miscues and only six second chance points.
On Friday, KSU Tusc hosts Andrews University in a 2:00 p.m. start.
Jordan Stevens ties up a Lions player on a loose ball.
JaJuantae Young scored a personal season high of 11 points. Kameron Shockley battles his way to the hoop.
(Photos by Patty Tolloti - Solid Rock Photos)