YORK, PA-An 82-foot pass and a lay up at the horn allowed the
York College men's basketball team to tie their game at the
end of regulation against Mary Washington on Wednesday night in
York. Senior All-American Chad McGowan (Dallastown,
Pa./Dallastown) then made sure that play would lead to a
win as the Spartans captured a 76-72 overtime victory over the
Eagles in a huge Capital Athletic Conference contest. The
senior scored seven of the Spartans' 13 points in overtime as
the green and white won on their home floor for the first time in
three games this season.
Early on, the two squads took turns going back and forth. The
teams traded the lead five times with four ties in the first nine
minutes of the game. The Eagles took the lead for the remainder of
the half as Eric Pearson drained a triple to put UMW up 19-16 with
10:32 left in the half. The Mary Washington lead wavered between
one and five points over the final 10 minutes of the stanza. York
cut the lead to three with 21 seconds showing on the clock but the
Eagles' Matt Hale doubled that advantage with a three
just before the buzzer to allow UMW to take a 34-28 lead to
the break. The three looked to deflate the Spartans heading to the
locker room.
The second half began much like the first half ended as Hale
drained another three to push the lead to nine. Spartan head coach
had seen enough from his starting unit and called a time out at the
17:44 mark. He subbed out the starters and replaced them with
junior Mike Riley (Webster, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit),
and freshmen Matty Foley (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas
Johnson), Dylan Hoffman (Dallastown,
Pa./Dallastown), Andrew Pawlyk (Bernville,
Pa./Tulpehocken), and sophomore Nick Brady
(Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic). That group played well
while they were in the game as they trimmed an 11 point Mary
Washington lead to two on a Foley triple with 11:18 remaining in
regulation.
Spartan head coach Jeff Gamber felt his bench
did what he needed them to do.
“Our reserves came in and did a good
job,” stated Gamber. “They played hard and
together.”
The starters checked back in and senior Nate Lankford
(York, Pa./West York) hit a big three to draw York
to within one at 48-47. The Eagles maintained the lead, pushing it
back up to six on a Sam Groseclose lay up with 5:52 left. The green
and white outscored the Eagles 9-3 over the next four minutes to
tie the game at 61 courtesy of a pair of Levi Winters
(Manchester, Pa./Northeastern) free throws. The teams
would exchange possessions until the Eagles took a two point lead
when Pearson punched in a tipped rebound with 2.3 seconds left as
all hope seemed lost for York. The Spartans called time out to set
up a play. Winters took the ball on the baseline and heaved the
ball to McGowan, who got behind the defense, and the senior laid
the ball of the glass for the game-tying bucket.
“Levi's pass may have been the best pass I have seen
as a coach,” said Gamber. “It was a two-handed
chest pass from 80 feet. It was incredible.”
The overtime started with a McGowan free throw followed by a
McGowan three on the next possession to give York the 67-64 lead.
Hale drew the guests to within one with another three but McGowan
split a pair of free throws and Pat Kelley
(Davidsonville, Md./River Hill) hit a tough driving lay up
from the baseline to push the Spartan lead to 70-66. Hale responded
yet again with another three to draw the Eagles to within one with
1:52 left in overtime. Kelley hit another bucket and Brady drained
a pair of free throws with nine seconds left, increasing
York's lead to 74-69. Jon Pierce hit yet another three to cut
the lead to two with just over two seconds left. York inbounded the
ball and Lankford tipped the ball ahead to McGowan who slammed home
the insurance just before the final horn.
McGowan led the Spartans, who are now 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the
CAC, with 21 points, five rebounds, two blocks and a pair of
assists. McGowan was 8-for-12 from the floor including his overtime
three. Winters was the other Spartan in double figures with 11
points. Winters added seven rebounds, a career-high five assists,
and one steal in 37 minutes of action. Lankford added eight points
and a career-high 10 rebounds. Kelley added eight points and two
rebounds while Hoffman also had eight points on 12 minutes of
action. Nine of the 11 Spartans who played, scored.
Hale paced the Eagles, who are now 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the
CAC, as he poured in 20 points including 6-of-10 from three and
2-for-2 from the free throw line. Hale also had four assists and
one steal in 43 minutes. Justin Baker added 16 points, three
rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Brandon Altmann added 12
points and six rebounds before fouling out with three minutes left
in overtime. Pearson was the fourth Eagle in double figures with 11
points.
The Spartans finished the game shooting 47.5% from the
floor and 28% from three. Like it has been all season, the Spartans
scuffled from the charity stripe, making just 11-of-23, good for a
mark of 47.8%. York held a 43-34 edge on the glass while the
Spartan bench outscored their counterparts from UMW, 24-8.
Mary Washington shot 42.4% for the game but did make 11-of-28
(39.3%) from three. The Eagles made 11-of-13
(84.6%) from the free throw line.
The Spartans close out the 2007 fall semester portion of their
schedule on Saturday when they travel to Salisbury University to
face the Sea Gulls in a CAC contest. Game time in Salisbury
is set for 4:00 pm.
GAME BOX
Chad McGowan photo courtesy of Eric Linsley
