WARRIORS GET CLUTCH OVERTIME WIN OVER MARIAN ON FRIDAY NIGHT

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. - It was not a game for the faint-hearted on Friday night during the JBA Classic, with RCU men's basketball (4-0) taking home an 81-80 OT win over the Marian Knights at Garth Pleasant Arena. All three periods were within three points during the contest, with RCU getting some clutch shots to fall in overtime. Leading for the Warriors was guard Brody Parker, who scored 27 points, followed by forward Brett White, who scored 20. For the Knights, guard Gus Etchison led with 20 points and four assists. 

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST HALF

• The Warriors showcased some great shotmaking ability to start the game, with Parker and guard Gunner Walters nailing midrange jumpers to start the game. The Knights fired back with a brief run, causing several Warrior turnovers that plagued the team throughout regulation. The Knights tied the game up at 15-15, but the Warriors stayed ahead thanks to a pull-up three by Walters on the ensuing possession
• The Knights slowly crept into the lead with baskets inside the paint, capitalizing off some Warrior turnovers with easy baskets in transition. However, the Warriors got some big minutes from their bench, with Lucas Brannen and Stavros Polatoglou connecting for an easy layup in the paint to keep the Warriors in the lead. The Knights snagged the lead again, but the Warriors stole it back with a three by White off an offensive rebound by forward Tymias Williams. The duo logged two emphatic blocks on the next defensive possession for the Warriors, and consecutive buckets by Parker helped the Warriors enter halftime with a 35-32 lead

SECOND HALF

• The teams traded baskets to start the second half, with Etchison and Parker nailing mid-rangers. Forward Dustin Farrow knocked down a three to build a six-point lead for the Warriors. Center James Fisher found an opening for a fastbreak dunk to keep the lead rolling for the Warriors, but the Knights got some important offense from forward Aidan Franks, who'd get a steal and three to cut the lead to a single possession. The Knights used that momentum to capture the lead, finding plenty of offense to give the Warriors trouble
• The Knights added another basket before the Warriors turned things around on an and-one by Williams. RCU took a three-point lead, but the Knights' Elhadj Diallo hit a three to tie things up. Marian took the lead with a tough layup by Etchison that was answered with a layup by Walters on the other end, plus the foul. The Warriors took another lead, but Diallo tied the game with a three. The back-and-forth continued into the final three minutes, with the teams trading baskets. RCU took a four-point lead with a layup by Williams, but the Knights scored four points in the final minute to put the game into overtime

OVERTIME

• It looked like the momentum would only continue for Marian, who jumped out to a five-point lead thanks to another three by Diallo. However, the Warriors' defense made a huge stand, getting stops that paved the way for two alley-oops to Fisher and White to get the deficit down to one. White secured a foul and made two free throws to tie the game a couple of possessions later, before knocking down a game-shifting midrange jumper that gave the Warriors the lead with 1:30 remaining. The drama continued, with Parker extending the lead to four on free throws, only for Etchison to knock down a deep three. On the next possession, the Knights got a steal and wide-open layup for Franks to take the lead. However, the heroics weren't done for the Warriors, with Walters hitting a midrange pullup with 13 seconds left that secured the Warriors win

UP NEXT

The Warriors return home to take on the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars on day two of the JBA Classic at 1 p.m.

Hussein Murray - RCU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Dakota Shafer - RCU Athletics