By Jeremy Wright
FHU Sports Information Intern
The Freed-Hardeman University men’s basketball team (18-9, 15-7 AMC) came up short against Harris-Stowe State (20-9, 15-7 AMC) 89-87 in overtime on Saturday afternoon in the season finale.
Harris-Stowe started the game hot, as they quickly opened to a 7-0 lead. The Hornets would take advantage of the Lions slow start and stretch the lead to 24-9, but the Lions would respond with a series of runs to cut the lead to as little as five points late in the first half. The Hornets would go into halftime with an eight-point lead at 42-34.
To start the second half, Harris-Stowe would stretch their lead back to 12 before the Lions would storm back and take their first lead of the game at 58-57.
From there, the teams would trade baskets as neither team could get much separation.
Some huge, timely buckets from Kortland Martin would give the Lions a five-point lead, which would be their biggest lead of the game. With under one minute left, the Lions led by two points until Deshawn Munson for Harris-Stowe would tie the game at 82 with 11.6 seconds left. The Lions would have the last shot, but Martin’s floater as time expired fell just short.
In overtime, the Lions would lead by as many as three points, as the teams continued trading baskets.
With under one minute left in overtime, the Lions led by two points until Munson again got a tough layup to go to tie the game at 87. Both teams got stops on their next defensive possessions, but Munson again would make a highly-contested layup to give the Hornets the lead with 4.7 seconds left. The Lions would attempt a full-court pass that would be intercepted by Munson with two seconds remaining. The Lions fouled, Munson missed the free-throw and Hunter Scurlock’s half-court shot for the win fell short.
The Lions were led in scoring by Martin who had a game-high 27 points. Konstantin Dotsenko had himself a game with a 19-point and eight-rebound performance.
Yuryk Lazard had 15 points and nine rebounds and Scurlock rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points.
The Lions dropped to the No. 4 seed with the loss and hosted No. 5 seed Columbia College on Wednesday at the Brewer Sports Center to open the AMC Tournament.
