Kenyon’s jumper in final seconds defeats Allegheny

Local Sports

Discussion

January 27, 2013

Kenyon’s jumper in final seconds defeats Allegheny

By Lisa Byers Meadville Tribune The Meadville Tribune Sun Jan 27, 2013, 07:00 AM EST

MEADVILLE — It has been an interesting season for the Allegheny men’s basketball team.

Going into Saturday afternoon’s North Coast Athletic Conference tilt with Kenyon, the Gators had played in nine games decided by four points or less or in overtime. Five of those ended up going in favor of the Gators.

Allegheny wasn’t quite as fortunate yesterday.

The Gators rallied back to tie the score at 69-69 with 23 seconds to play, but Ikenna Nwadibia knocked down a jumper with three seconds remaining to give the Lords a 71-69 victory at the David V. Wise Center.

Allegheny fell to 9-10 overall and 3-7 in the NCAC and is now tied with Wabash for eighth place in the conference. Only the top eight teams advance to the postseason tournament, which begins Feb. 19.

“That’s our conference,” Allegheny junior forward Bobby Theiss said. “Every game is a battle. Every game is a dog fight. That’s the way things are going to be the rest of the year. Good teams find ways to win close games. We have found a way in a few of them. (Yesterday) was not our day.”

Allegheny’s last three contests were decided by four points or less beginning with a 65-61 loss to Denison a week ago. The Gators followed that up with a four-point win over Hiram, who the Gators had trailed in the standings.

For some time it looked as though Allegheny might pull off another big win right down to the buzzer.

Devone McLeod gave the Gators a 62-61 lead with 4:57 to play. Kenyon responded, though, with an 8-3 run that included 3-pointers by Julian Pavlin and Jonathan Amador to go up 69-65 with 1:13 remaining.

Josh Valentic responded with a jumper with 59 second left to ignite a raucous crowd and pull the Gators to within two. Allegheny opted to foul, sending Pavlin to the line for Kenyon for a 1 and 1 with 38 seconds to play. Pavlin missed the first one and Clark Tritto grabbed the rebound, setting up the tying jumper by McLeod with 23 seconds to play.

The Gators left too much time on the clock. Nwadibia took the ball from the right wing and drove across the baseline and threw up a one-handed jumper for the win. Allegheny did get off a shot at the buzzer from beyond half court that nearly banked in.

“We got off to a really good start, but they can shoot,” Kenyon head coach Dan Priest said of the Gators. “They have a lot of guys who can really shoot. So I don’t think they are ever out of games. If you look at what (Allegheny head coach) Jim (Driggs) has done and their scores … They’ve been in every game. We’re really happy. I think we beat a good team.”

Kenyon did come out on fire in yesterday’s game and led 9-2 with 16:09 to play in the first half. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Tritto pulled the Gators to within one (9-8). Allegheny wound up finishing the half up 34-31 and opened the second half with a 5-0 run to take its largest lead (39-31) of the game.

Tritto finished with 16 points and nine rebounds to lead the Gators. McLeod added 15 points and Valentic and Theiss chipped in with 10 apiece.

Nwadibia led all scorers with 19.

Text Only

Local Sports

H.S. BASEBALL: Rockets too much for Bulldogs in season finale
TITUSVILLE — Year one of the Bruce Stewart era as the Meadville baseball head coach is officially in the books. Unfortunately it came with a defeat to the hands of Titusville. The Bulldogs committed three errors and allowed five unearned runs to cross the plate in a 7-3 loss at the Ed Myer Recreation Complex on Friday.

May 18, 2013
H.S. BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Cards clinch No. 2 spot for D-10 tourney
It took them until the final day of the regular season, but the Cochranton boys volleyball team now knows where they stand for next week’s Class AA District 10 playoffs.

May 17, 2013
H.S. TRACK & FIELD: Sternby runs away with gold at D-10 meet
HARBORCREEK — It was sweet redemption for Meadville’s Heather Sternby during Wednesday’s Class AAA District 10 Track and Field meet at Harbor Creek High School’s Paul J. Weitz Stadium.
After falling in the 100-meter dash to Grove City’s Courtney Corbin in last year’s meet by .09 seconds, Sternby got her revenge by defeating Corbin by .10 seconds in this year’s event.

May 16, 2013
H.S. SOFTBALL: Two-run sixth lifts Saegertown in Region 3 battle
With the playoffs looming, Saegertown head softball coach Mark McKissock hoped to get his girls an early taste of that intense postseason atmosphere.

May 15, 2013
TRACK AND FIELD: ’Dogs prepare for districts
It’s amazing how much difference a year can make. Last year at this time, the Meadville girls track and field team was the Region 3 champion and a serious contender to dethrone Grove City as the District 10 Class AAA champion.

May 15, 2013
H.S. BASEBALL: Saegertown rolls to sweep of Conneaut
Nothing could get in the way of the Saegertown baseball team picking up a pair of wins on Friday. Not even Mother Nature. With a dark cloud hanging over Ed Acker Field, the Panthers made quick work of Conneaut with a run-shortened 12-0 and 11-1 win in non-region play.

May 11, 2013
H.S. Baseball: Mother Nature interrupts Conneaut winning streak
Most years the most devastating opposition for area softball and baseball teams is old Mother Nature.
This year has been no different. The wrath, however, has been a little less traumatic.

May 9, 2013
H.S. TRACK & FIELD: ’Dogs close regular season with sweep
The Meadville track and field team ended the season with a bang on senior day and will be rolling into next week’s District 10 Class AAA Championships at Harbor Creek High School after sweeping Central Tech on Thursday at the Barco-Duratz Athletic Complex.
The boys (1-5) delivered a nail-biting 75-70 win, giving them their first win of the season, while the girls (3-3) cruised to a 120-26 victory.

May 7, 2013
H.S. BASEBALL: Oilers too slick for Eagles
LINESVILLE — The Oil City baseball team simply has Conneaut’s number this year.
“And that’s the only number we’ve had so far this year,” said Oil City head coach Adam Best. His team is now 2-12 on the season, 2-5 in Region 6. And both of those wins were against Conneaut.

May 7, 2013
H.S. BASEBALL: CASH wins fourth straight after sweep of ’Dogs
It’s not everyday a baseball team can strand 16 runners in a seven-inning game and still celebrate a win.
But that’s just how productive Conneaut’s offense was on Monday as it defeated neighborhood foe Meadville 6-3 in a Region 6 clash at Eldred Glen.

May 7, 2013
More Local Sports Headlines

A GOP-led probe into last fall’s deadly attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, this week produced testimony from diplomats who said that a request for Special Forces assistance in repelling the attack had been denied twice. What happened in Benghazi? Does it matter?

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Kenyon’s jumper in final seconds defeats Allegheny

A GOP-led probe into last fall’s deadly attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, this week produced testimony from diplomats who said that a request for Special Forces assistance in repelling the attack had been denied twice. What happened in Benghazi? Does it matter?

Site Map

Contact Us