Skyhawks win double overtime thriller over CIU
WEST POINT, Ga. (Dec. 13, 2022) - The Point University men's basketball team returned to action Tuesday evening for AAC conference matchup and came out victorious, 80-75 in the double overtime thriller.
The Skyhawks started the contest off hot with a quick 8-0 run that started and ended with three-pointers from Jack Gray and Justice Hayes. The Rams would shoot their way back within two at the 12:50 mark with the score 14-12. Jake Smith would get fouled on his shot and go 1 for 2 at the line to give the Skyhawks at five-point lead. The Rams would go on a 10-0 run to take the lead at 22-17 off two made free throws at the 7:27 mark. Moving forward in the first half, the Rams would take a 27-24 lead, but Jack Gray would cut their lead to one with his made jump shot. Gentrell Taylor would lay one off the glass for two and give the Skyhawks the 28-27 lead with 2:31 left in the first half. Theron Montgomery would get a dunk and give the Skyhawks the lead at 30-27. The Rams would work their offense and got a one-point lead from two free throws. Javier Turner would send the Skyhawks to the locker room with the lead at 32-31 at halftime after his dunk that came off his offensive rebound.
Jack Gray would up the second half with back-to-back made jump shots to give point a five-point lead at 36-31. The Rams would go on a 6-0 run to regain the lead at 40-38 at the 15:41 mark. Jake Smith would drive the lane, get fouled and make his layup. Smith would get the and one to go and put the Skyhawks up 41-40. After the Rams snatched the lead back off a dunk, Jack Gray would find himself open for a jump shot and would put the Skyhawks back up by one at 45-44. Right after the shot, Point would call a full timeout at the 11:27 mark. The Rams would go on a 9-0 run at 5:43 after back-to-back made free throws for a 55-49 lead. Three-pointers from Justice Hayes and Sam Rees would tie the game up at 55-55. The Rams would take the 57-55 lead off a dunk at 2:04 but would have to wait until 46 seconds left in the contest to tie it up from a Gentrell Taylor made layup, assist by Justice Hayes. CIU would take a full timeout and would get a three-pointer to go to take a 60-57 lead with 27 seconds remaining. Jake Smith would find an open Jack Gray to nail a three-pointer to bring the Skyhawks and Rams all tied up at 60-60 with 12.7 seconds remaining. The Rams would get a shot off before the buzzer would sound, but they were unsuccessful, and we headed to overtime all knotted up at 60-60.
Overtime 1
The Skyhawks would win the tip from the big man Javier Turner, but both teams would exchange missed shots for the first minute of play. Turner would get an offensive rebound and put back to give the Skyhawks a 62-60 lead with 3:52 remaining in the overtime period. CIU would connect on a layup to tie the game at 3:29. Gentrell Taylor would get a pass by Jake Smith and get his shot to go to put the Skyhawks back up by two at 64-62 with 3:01 left. CIU would get fouled and would go 1 for 2 at the line and cut the lead to one at 64-63. The next possession, Justice Hayes would connect on a three-pointer, assist by Jake Smith and the Skyhawks would have a 67-63 lead at 2:25. CIU would have two good offensive possessions and tie the game up 67-67. The CIU jump shot with 18 seconds remaining would send us to our second overtime of the evening.
Overtime 2
Both teams would exchange three-pointers with the Skyhawks Justice Hayes' three-pointer tying the game up at 70-70 at 3:57. After a missed CIU three-point attempt, Justice Hayes would nail a three-pointer to put the Skyhawks up 73-70 at 2:40. Gentrell Taylor would get an offensive rebound and get the put back layup to give the Skyhawks a five-point lead with 42 seconds remaining in the second overtime. After a Skyhawk foul, CIU would go 1 for 2 at the free throw line to bring it within four at 75-71 with 30 seconds left. Justice Hayes would get fouled and head to the charity stripe to pick up two more points on the evening and give the Skyhawks the 77-71 lead with 28 seconds on the scoreboard. CIU would call a full timeout after the second made free throw of Hayes. CIU would have a shot blocked into the stands by Javier Turner but would get a layup on the in-bound pass to make it 77-73 with 16 seconds left in the contest. Jack Gray would get fouled and would get his 19th and 20th points on the night to put the Skyhawks up 79-73 with only 15 seconds remaining in the second overtime. After a Rams layup to make it 79-75, Justice Hayes would head to the line. He would go 1 for 2 at the charity stripe and bring home the 80-75 victory.
In the box
Justice Hayes and Jack Gray led all Skyhawks in scoring with 20 points Hayes had three rebounds, one assist and a steal. Gray had four rebounds and three steals. Jake Smith was also huge with his double-double performance with 18 points and eleven assists, while providing nine rebounds and a steal.
Gentrell Taylor came up big off the bench with 9 points, five rebounds, one assist and a steal. Javier Turner came up with four huge blocks, six rebounds, a steal and 8 points on the evening.
The Skyhawks shot 37.7% (29-77) from the floor, 31.3% (5-16) from three-point land and 75% (12-16) at the charity stripe.
Up next
The Skyhawks will return to action for a non-conference away matchup against Freed-Hardeman (TN) on Friday, December 30 at 4:00 P.M. EST.