Red Hawks Rally Comes Up Short In Overtime Against Chargers
Lake Michigan took to the road for their conference opener to Ancilla College and fell 96-102 in overtime.
The Red Hawks jumped out to an early lead in Thursday night's conference opener at Ancilla College and saw their lead balloon to as many as 14 during a strong first half. The outside shot was a major factor as the men connected on 11 first half opportunities on their way to a lead at the break 50-42.
The Chargers continued to fight and took the lead midway through the second half. They were able to break down the Red Hawks defense and find open shots as well as offense rebounds and put backs. The combination of the two became troublesome for the Red Hawks, but they refused to go away.
With under two minutes left in regulation, the Red Hawks found themselves down by five. Their outside shooting had slowed and they were in need of a big play to turn the tide again. Freshman Andrew McGuirt provided the first as he hit a three-pointer with under 30 seconds remaining to make it a two point game. The Red Hawks fouled and the Chargers were only able to connect on one of two free throws, leaving the game at a three point margin. As the clock ticked down, Sheddrick Porter was able to connect on another three over two defenders this time to tie the game with four seconds to go. A quick turnover left the Red Hawks with the ball at half court and just .3 seconds on the clock. A long pass and tip in attempt went unsuccessful, yet the Red Hawks had forced overtime.
Overtime was controlled by the Chargers. They scored first and were able to force back to back turnovers and eventually found their largest lead of the night, eight points, during the overtime period. They also connected on their free throws during the extra period and were able to hold on to defeat the Red Hawks 102-96.
The Red Hawks were lead on the night by Porter who provided 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. Khaire Williams followed closely behind with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Austin Dukesherer had 15 points, Justin Henderson 7, and Jaguar Jackson and McGuirt each added 6.
The Red Hawks will travel to Kellogg Community College on Saturday, January 5, 2019 with a 3:00 pm start.