by GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) — Sandy Cohen III (29 points) and Kameron Hankerson (24 points) each scored career-highs on Monday night against in-state rival Milwaukee, with Khalil Small scoring 22 points of his own in Green Bay’s 99-92 dramatic overtime victory at the Resch Center. The Phoenix (8-13, 3-5 HL) and Panthers (9-11, 2-5 HL) were tied at 92-92 in the overtime period, before Hankerson buried a transition 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to give the Phoenix the lead for good.
Cohen III (Oneida Tribe) scored 17 of his career-high 29 points in the first half, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and 6-for-6 at the free throw line. The redshirt-junior also notched his second career double-double this season, finishing with 10 rebounds in 42 minutes.
Head coach Linc Darner played four players 40 or more minutes in the game, with the senior Small logging a career-high 44 minutes. Small finished with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, scoring 11 of those points in the second half four of them in the overtime period.
Green Bay had a chance to take the lead in regulation with only 18 seconds left, when Cohen drew the foul attacking the rim. He made the first free throw to tie the game, before missing the second attempt. GB then forced Brock Stull into a contested shot that caromed off the rim and into Manny Patterson‘s hands to force OT.
The Phoenix had been grinding through the rigors of a busy schedule, having now played six Horizon League games in only 13 days, and will now prepare for two more games this week. GB will host Wright State, which defeated Youngstown State tonight, on Thursday night before welcoming Northern Kentucky, which knocked off Cleveland State tonight as well, on Saturday.
GB trailed by 13 points in the first half at 27-14, before freshman Will Chevalier hit a big 3 to stop the Panthers momentum. The Phoenix then scored 21 of the next 29 points to tie the game at 35-35 with just over 5 minutes left in the half. Milwaukee would take a one-point lead into the break.
PJ Pipes was the fourth Phoenix player to finish in double-figures, notching 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Pipes played a career-high 42 minutes, while Cohen III logged 42 minutes as well.
Manny Patterson grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds in 21 minutes, battling against the Milwaukee post players all evening. Patterson grabbed big rebounds late in the second half and overtime when the GB defense picked up some stops.
Milwaukee scored 40 points in the paint to Green Bay’s 24, but GB received 30 points off the bench compared to the Panthers’ 13 points.
The 11 3-pointers made by the Phoenix ties its season-high, while the 99 points is also a new season-high against Division I teams this year.
Green Bay has now won five-straight games in the rivalry series against Milwaukee, while Darner improves his record to 5-1 against the Panthers.
The Phoenix will now host the top two teams in the Horizon League standings in Wright State and NKU. The Raiders visit for a 7 p.m. showdown on Thursday night at the Resch Center.
