Just a couple of days after being named a contingency team for the USCAA National Basketball Championships, the Golden Eagles traveled to USCAA No. 4 tournament seed Miami Hamilton for their last game of the season with a chip on their shoulder.
In a rematch of a January 22nd game that the Eagles won 86-79, they successfully shrugged off the after-effects of the tournament snub to take down the Harriers, 77-76, for the second time on the season.
The Golden Eagles resume now includes an overall record of 18-8 with seven wins in seven games over USCAA Top 10 ranked teams---one who was ranked No. 3 in USCAA DI---which evidently was not enough to persuade the tournament committee to put the Eagles into the brackets on their own merits.
Today the Eagles fought back from a 42-33 halftime deficit to win the season series with the Harriers. They did it with a stifling defense holding the Harriers leading scorer, Ryan Marchal, to just five second half points after he poured in 20 in the opening half of play. They were also more efficient on offense in the final stanza as they outpaced MUH 44-32.
Trailing 71-65 with 2:38 left to play in the game the Eagles called timeout after JaJuantae Young hit a big three-point shot with just two seconds left on the shot clock. They started subbing offense for defense on every dead ball and to their advantage, they also had three fouls to give before sending the Harriers to the free throw line. The strategy paid dividends immediately.
Vinny Roper and Jordan Stevens knocked the ball away from a Harrier player and gave it up to London Cobbs was was fouled going to the hoop. Cobbs split a pair of tosses cutting the lead to 71-66. Another KSU steal on the ensuing inbounds pass went to Cobbs again who attacked the basket and was fouled. This time though, he converted on both free throws with 1:49 left to trim the lead to 71-68.
An MUH lay in and free throw stretched the lead back to six points (74-68) with 1:38 left. Scoring quickly they almost played right into the Eagles hands, as Young forced tempo and weaved past three defenders to the basket and banked a short shot home to make the score 74-70. The Harriers however, scored quickly again at the 1:12 mark as they matched the Eagles fast pace to lead 76-70---a lead that appeared almost insurmountable.
After a missed shot beneath their own basket, KSU Tusc chased the ball all over the court confusing the Harriers into another turnover with :40.6 seconds left. Things looked dire for the Eagles as they missed another short one and they were forced to foul again. But the Harriers missed the front end of a bonus situation and with :34.5 ticks left, Braden Rostad rammed home a closely contested triple from the right corner to draw the Eagles to within 76-73. It was his only make from behind the arc all day, but it was also his most important shot attempt of the day.
With just precious seconds left, the Navy and Gold had literally flipped the energy in the MUH gym even they were still behind, but would go on to outscore MUH 12-5 over the last two minutes of the game.
Facing a swarming Eagles fullcourt pressure defense, MUH called for a time out in the backcourt with :26.2 left in the game. There were 30 seconds left on the shot clock, so the Eagles knew they would get at least one more chance for a basket, but they desperately needed one last stop and they got it. A turnover in front of the Eagles bench on a cross court pass gave them new life. As Rostad got a nice look at a triple try from the left elbow, he was knocked to the floor by obvious contact, but there was no call. Kyle Shockley redirected to miss toward the rim, but the ball caromed off and into the hands of DeJuan Lawrence who stuck it back in the hoop with :13.6 left drawing the Eagles to within 76-75.
A quick foul was called on the Eagles at the :06.4 mark as the Harriers leading scorer tried to ice the game. However, he missed the front end of a bonus situation that could have given them a two-point lead. The Eagles London Cobbs raised up and snagged the rebound. He rifled a pass to Kyle Shockley near the mid court stripe. Shockley made an in-and-out move to shed a Harrier defender and streaked past three more---nearly unabated down the middle of the lane---until he got to the basket. He lofted up the eventual game winning shot as a defender swatted at the ball, which bounded on the rim for what seemed an eternity, before falling through the net to register the deciding points with :01.5 seconds remaining.
One last time out by the Harriers was called to set up a full length of the court play. The Eagles responded with some adjustments of their own by installing 6'6" Kameron Shockley into the lineup to guard the throw in. They also put the 6'8" Lawrence near the top of the arc and spread the rest of the defense inside the arc near the free throw line.
The chances to get a pass past the Eagles defenders were slim, and the ensuing inbounds pass was intercepted by Cobbs at the apex of his jump. When he alit to the floor he slammed the ball onto the court as the final buzzer sounded like an air raid siren, which was music to the Golden Eagles ears but to the dismay of the home crowd.
DeJuan Lawrence led the Eagles and all scorers in the game with 27 points and 20 rebounds for his 16th double double on the season. Lawrence scored 14 points in the first half and 13 in the final 20 minutes, sinking 15/17 free throws. He was joined in double figures by JaJuantae Young who scored 11 second half points to end with 13, while James Roundtree added eight final half points and scored 12 for the game---his second straight game in double digits and boarded seven missed shots.
The Eagles ruled the glass ripping down 50 rebounds--23 on the offensive glass---to the Harriers total of 35. They also shot 80% from the free throw line making 30/37 chances, while shooting 36% from the floor.
As KSU Tusc made their way home from Southwestern Ohio, all cell phones were tuned into the beginning of the Penn State Athletic Conference Championship game, where the Eagles tournament fate would be decided. They will become big Penn State York fans, as a Lions win over PSU Brandywine would give the Eagles the outright No. 9 seed and entry into the 10-team field.
On this day however, the Eagles finished a game befitting of a championship caliber team.
DeJuan Lawrence gets crunched by the MUH defense and London Cobbs steals a loose ball in traffic.
DeJuan Lawrence draws a crowd and scored 27 points at Miami Hamilton.
JaJuantae Young scored 11 second half points in the win over MUH. Photos by Patty Tolotti - Solid Rock Photos)