Campus News
January 25th, 2022
Laker hoop squads sweep Potomac State
Tigney's buzzer-beater lifts men; Mickens' 17 pace women
Keyser, W. Va. – Kobe Tigney – set up by Jhaiden Wilson's steal and outlet pass – hit a fast-break layup at the buzzer Monday night as Garrett College pulled out a dramatic, 95-93 men's basketball victory over host Potomac State College of West Virginia University.
"Kobe is a big-time player, he's a leader, and he's fought through so much adversity in his basketball career," said GC head coach Matt McCullough. "He's a fantastic young man, and there's nobody more deserving than him to get that one to fall to give us the victory."
Wilson scored a team-high 25 points while Tigney (6 rebounds) and Tyler Rodeheaver added 15 each for the Lakers. Ezekiel Edwards (14 points, team-high 7 rebounds) and Darius Jones (10 points) also reached double figures for Garrett College. Lamont Powell chipped in 8 points and a game-high 5 assists for the winners.
"This was a huge win for us especially, with it being a regional game on the road," said McCullough. "This is the first time I've gotten a taste of the rivalry, and it certainly lived up to expectations."
Tigney's game-winner capped a frenzied final 4:01 that featured 4 ties and a pair of lead changes. That pulsating finish seemed unlikely early in the game as the Lakers built a 28-12 cushion, but PSC rallied to take a 46-45 halftime lead on Malik Lacewell's 2 free throws with 5 seconds remaining.
The Lakers responded with a 26-10 surge to start the second half as they opened up a 71-56 lead. GC scored both inside and outside during the run, combining 6 layups with 3-pointers from Edwards, Mekhi Price and Wilson, who had 7 points during the surge as the Lakers seemingly took control.
PSC rallied once again, drawing even at 82-82 on Richard Law's 2 free throws with 4:01 left. Neither team led by more than 3 points the rest of the way.
"We've had our share of big comebacks, and big leads that we have lost throughout the season," observed McCullough. "I think earlier in the year we wouldn't have been able to handle the adversity like we did tonight. It's a sign that the team is maturing, and we need to keep improving going down the stretch run."
Isaac James scored a game-high 28 points and pulled down 9 rebounds for the Catamounts. Law (18 points), Lacewell (16 points), Juliyen Johnson (14 points, game-high 11 rebounds), and Cavonte Duncan (11 points, 10 rebounds) gave PSC 5 players in double digits.
McCullough praised Potomac State's fighting spirit in wiping out double-digit deficits in both halves before falling on Tigney's layup.
"Coach [Neil] Epstein does a great job with his team and it was a hard-fought game to the very end," said McCullough. "I thought both teams played at a high level tonight."
The Lakers host the College of Southern Maryland Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in a Maryland JuCo contest.
Women's Basketball
Garrett College 61, Potomac State 57
Keyser, W.Va. – Aliyah Tucker and Harmoni Swain each had 2 baskets during a 10-2 Lakers surge to start the second half Monday night as Garrett College rallied to defeat host Potomac State College of West Virginia University.
"This was a big win for us. Potomac State has had our number in the past couple years, and it was nice to get one on the road," said GC head coach JT Lewis, whose squad lost to the Catamounts in last year's NJCAA Division II Region XX title game. "It was also good to have a tight game to see how we would handle the tough situations."
Josias Mickens scored a game-high 17 points as the Lakers (9-2) won their fourth straight game. Tucker added 15 points, Jersey Wise contributed 12, and Josie Canales had 10 points with a team-high 15 rebounds. Swain finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Catamount Makenna Douthitt (12 points, game-high 16 rebounds) had 6 points as the Catamounts (12-4) built an early 12-3 lead, but the Lakers pulled within 14-10 at the quarter break and trailed only 25-23 at intermission.
"We started out in a 2-3 zone to stay out of foul trouble, but Potomac State does a good job of moving the ball around and hitting open shots," said Lewis, whose switch to a 3-2 helped spark the comeback. "The 3-2 provided some pressure to speed up the tempo and it disrupted their guards.
"We are a high-tempo team that likes to get after it, but with the numbers we have, we have to be cautious at times," added Lewis, whose team is competing with a six-player roster. "Another thing was that we weren't hitting our open looks early on and they were."
GC then used its quick third-quarter start to take the lead for good. The Lakers stretched their lead to 43-33 on a Canales jumper 24 seconds into the fourth quarter, but PSC fought back.
Alexis Yanosky (14 points, 11 rebounds) got the Catamounts within a point, 53-52, on a layup with 2:28 remaining. The Lakers, however, hit 8-of-12 free throws down the stretch to close out the win.
"We've been working very hard in practice on our free throws," said Lewis. "In practice, we have to make a certain number, and if we don't reach it we have to run."
Kelsey O'Neal (9 rebounds) scored 15 points to lead the Catamounts.
The Lakers host the College of Southern Maryland Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. in a Maryland JuCo contest.
