GC men’s basketball edged in overtime, 81-78

January 19, 2015

Tucker Sargent,

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (GC ATHLETICS) – Down as many as 15 in the second half Monday in the Centennial Center, the Georgia College men’s basketball team (8-10, 2-7 PBC) forged a comeback to force overtime, eventually losing to Flagler College (8-8, 3-6 PBC) 81-78 in the extra frame.

Up 51-37 with 11:42 left, Flagler seeming had things in hand. A 14-2 Bobcat run cut the lead to a single possession with 6:57 remaining. The teams then traded buckets for a few minutes. Ryan Blumenthal (Kennesaw) hit one of the bigger shots of the game, a long-distance three with 1:06 left to bring Georgia College within one.

After trading free throws, the Bobcats took a 67-66 lead on a tip-in by Larrentis Thomas (McDonough) only to see the game tied up by a free throw from Jerrell Oxendine with a second left.

In the overtime period, Georgia College struggled from the field, hitting just 2-for-11 to open the door for a Flagler win.

Junior Terrell Harris (Indiantown, Florida) was instrumental in the second-half comeback, scoring 25 points on the game, with 11 coming in the second frame. He finished with 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double this season.

Also big in the comeback was Blumenthal, as the junior finished with 11 points despite netting just a pair by halftime. Thomas scored 16 points with eight rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Junior Dwight Anderson (Minneapolis, Minnesota) added 17 points, including a pair of big three-point buckets.

The Bobcats shot 36 percent (25-69) from the field, Flagler having the edge at 42 percent (27-65). The Saints also won the battle on the glass 52-39, but the Bobcats stayed in the ballgame on defense, causing 19 turnovers while coughing it up just seven times.

Oxendine led the Saints with 25 points, flanked by a 13-point, 16-rebound double-double from Keshaun Hamilton.

The Bobcats are back in action Saturday, Jan. 24 at 3:30 p.m. to host the University of Montevallo (12-7, 8-1 PBC). The Falcons most recently beat USC Aiken, 73-59 today.