Clutch Down the Stretch
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. --- Northeastern State fought off Southwestern Oklahoma State in the final minute of play to capture a 70-66 Lone Star Conference North Division victory over the Bulldogs at Jack Dobbins Field House Saturday afternoon.
The RiverHawks have now won five in a row and improve to 11-5 for the season and 2-0 in North Division play. Southwestern is now 6-11 and 0-2 in the North Division.
Dominique Gaines led the RiverHawks' scoring with 22 points, followed by Antoine Branch's 15 and Marlon Burnett's 14 as the team shot 41 percent from the field (22-of-53) and 20-of-30 at the free throw line.
Southwestern was led by Damian Henderson's 17 points with Curtis Nickson adding 11. The Bulldogs shot 46 percent (26-of-56) and out rebounded the RiverHawks 41-33.
"It was one of those games you have to win and we've played six games in 18 days, a game every three days and our guys were probably a little tired," said Northeastern State head coach Larry Gipson. " I knew coming into this game it would be a slugfest. Southwestern is very well coached by Charles Schaef. They got pounded in their last game at home and I knew he was upset with them and they would come in here ready to play."
Northeastern State held a 12-point lead with 15:32 remaining, 44-32, before the Bulldogs made a charge at the RiverHawks. Southwestern tied the game at 57-all with 6:31 remaining on a shot by Charleston Flemmings.
The game was tied twice more, the last with 44 seconds remaining 64-all before the RiverHawks' Jason Jones hit a 3-point shot from the right wing with 28:6 seconds for a 67-64 lead.
Southwestern cut the lead to a single point 67-66 on a shot by Chancellor Jones, who drove the lane with 17 seconds remaining.
Jones, who played the game ill, said on his shot that gave the RiverHawks a 3-point lead, "It was one of those shots that at one point you know you have to shoot to make it. I realized that was a very important shot. I probably was more ready for that shot than I was for the other ones. I just knocked it down," said Jones.
Jones ranked the shot among one of his "best" considering the situation at the time. "We were 4-0 going into this and being a 2-0 in our division, it ranks pretty high and gives us a good start in the conference."
Gipson termed it a "clutch shot." "It doesn't get much better than that. Jason is just a clutch player and to play the way he did ill, was outstanding."
The Bulldogs then went into a full court press in the final 30 seconds of play, looking for a steal. Hoswever, Gaines was fouled by Ross Moore. Gaines then drained both free throws for a 69-66 NSU lead with 13 ticks on the clock. The Bulldogs' Jones then missed a 3-point attempt with 1.2 seconds on the clock and Gaines was sent to the line again when he was fouled on the rebound. Gaines drained 1-of-2 free throws to ice the victory 70-66.
"Right now I am just feeling my way," said Gaines, following the win. "After 7 or 8 games I am just trying to get into the flow. But I am starting to feel comfortable."
Concerning the shot by Jones to give Northeastern State the lead late in the game in which Gaines penetrated the paint and dished the ball out, Gaines said, "We practice that everyday. We try to suck-in the defense and get the ball to the open shooter. It just happen to be Jason (Jones) and he put it in the basket," said Gaines."
The RiverHawks held a 32-30 lead at the half as Gaines and Branch led the way with 10 points each. The RiverHawks shot only 34 percent in the half (9-of-26) but canned 11-of-14 at the free throw line for its slim 2-point lead in the opening half of action.
The Bulldogs shot 46 percent in the half with Damian Henderson's 9 points leading the ‘Dogs scoring.
The Riverhawks held a 10-point lead with 6:18 left in the half 26-16 when Branch and Gaines drained four straight free throws for the 10-point bulge. However, the Bulldogs slowly began cutting into the NSU lead by scoring six unanswered points in the final two-minutes for the 32-30 half time score.
Northeastern State returns to Lone Star Conference North Division play Wednesday night at Jack Dobbins Field House when the River Hawks play host to Southeastern Oklahoma State at 8 p.m.
