by UAFS let a lead slip away, but this time, the Lions roared back to regain it with just seconds to spare … literally.
Junior forward Dusan Stojanovic made the first to a two-shot free-throw attempt to give the Lions a 1-point lead with 3 seconds left and that was enough as UAFS rallied to beat Newman 90-89 in Heartland Conference play at the Stubblefield Center.
It was the first game of a four-game homestand for the Lions (9-8, 5-4), who will host Oklahoma Christian at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Stubblefield Center.
UAFS led by 2 points at halftime (37-35), but the Lions twice fell behind by 9 points in the second half. Junior forward James Pegues gave the Jets their last 9-point lead on a pair of free throws with 4:03 left to play.
The Lions rallied to tie the game at 89 points on a pair of free-throws by sophomore guard Seth Youngblood (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) with 26 seconds left. Then, following a turnover by Jets junior guard Reggie Baker, Stojanovic was fouled by Pegues with three ticks left.
Stojanovic calmly toed the free-throw stripe and sank his first shot to give the Lions the lead. He intentionally missed the second shot poorly to lessen the Jets’ chances of making a game-winning shot.
Still, senior forward Jeremy Espinoza grabbed the rebound of the missed free throw and launched a desperation 3-pointer from the backcourt that was nowhere close to going in as the buzzer sounded.
Four Lions scored in double-figures with three scoring 20 or more points. Junior forward Kenny Martin had a team-high 22 points, while freshman guard DaVaunta Thomas and Youngblood had 21 points apiece. Sophomore guard Alex Cooper had 10 points.
UAFS shot 42 percent from the field (25 for 60) – it was only 4-for-18 shooting from 3-point range – and shot just 77 percent from the free-throw line (36 for 47).
The Lions out-rebounded the Jets by 12 rebounds (45-33). Martin topped off his double-double with a team-high 16 rebounds.
Newman shot 48 percent from the field (32 for 67) – it was 13-for-25 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 80 percent from the free-throw line (12 for 15). Baker led the Jets with 36 points, including 8 of the Jets’ 13 3-pointers. Junior guard Contrael Colbert had 18 points, Espinoza had 12 points and senior guard Ryan McCarthy had 11 points.
McCarthy led the Jets with 7 rebounds.
MEN
UAFS 90, NEWMAN 89
Newman 35 54 — 89
UAFS 37 53 — 90
Newman (8-7, 4-5): Baker 36, Colbert 18, Espinoza 12, McCarthy 11, Ammons 5, Vermezovic 4, Pegues 3
UAFS (9-8, 5-4): Martin 22, Thomas 21, Youngblood 21, Cooper 10, Stojanovic 6, Harmon 5, Branham 3, Cannon 2.
