NEWBERRY — Jameel Taylor’s jumper with just six seconds remaining in overtime lifted Catawba (11-6, 5-6 SAC) over the Newberry (12-5, 7-4 SAC) men’s basketball team 100-99 Wednesday night at Eleazer Arena.

The South Atlantic Conference loss snaps Newberry’s seven game win streak.

Gerald Evans led Newberry with 15 points and James Stepp scored 14. D.J. Copeland chipped in 13 points. Mason Spease, Quaman Burton and Sikander Nielsen each poured in 12 points. Marshall Lange collected a team-high five rebounds. Nine different Wolves scored a basket in the contest.

Evans scored the first basket in overtime to put Newberry up three, 93-90, with 3:42 remaining. Stepp answered a Catawba basket to put Newberry back up to three.

Catawba cashed in on back-to-back possessions to lead 96-95 with 1:12 left. Two free-throws by Taylor then gave Catawba a three-point advantage.

Burton pulled the Wolves within one point after two foul shots with 0:27 seconds remaining. Burton then stole the ball and raced up the left side to put Newberry ahead 99-98 with just 0:20 seconds on the clock.

Taylor dribbled to his left, pulled up and banked the game-winning basket with six seconds to play. Spease’s three-pointer went off the back iron to give Catawba the 100-99 overtime victory.

Stepp’s three with 4:40 to play in the second half gave Newberry its largest lead of the evening at 88-76. Catawba ended the second half on a 14-2 run to tie the game at 90-90.

Newberry led at halftime 50-42. The Wolves shot 50.0 percent (10-for-20) from beyond the arc.

Taylor and KJ Arrington led five Catawba players in double-figures with 20 points apiece. Jerrin Morrison posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Catawba was 55.1 percent (43-for-78) from the floor and just 50 percent (7-for-14) from the free-throw line.

Newberry ended the contest shooting 46.2 percent (18-for-39) from beyond the arc. The Wolves scored 23 points off 17 Catawba turnovers. The Catawba Indians held a 50-33 edge on the boards.

The Wolves return to the road on Saturday against Carson-Newman (11-6, 8-3 SAC). Tip off is scheduled for 4 p.m. Newberry was defeated by the Eagles earlier this season on Dec. 3, 116-94.

Evans
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Evans.jpgEvans

Staff Report