SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Chowan University men's basketball team earned a thrilling overtime victory over King University on Friday morning in the quarterfinals of the Conference Carolinas Men's Basketball Championship. After the teams battled to a 69-69 tie at the end of regulation, the Hawks defeated the Tornado in overtime to secure a 79-76 win.
With the Hawks trailing by two, Eric Gordon Jr. knocked down a clutch three-pointer with nine seconds remaining in overtime to give Chowan the lead. King turned the ball over on the ensuing possession and was forced to foul Markell Hollis, who sank two free throws to seal the victory for the Hawks.
THE BASICS
FINAL | Chowan 79, King 76
RECORDS | Chowan (17-13, 13-7), King (14-17, 10-10)
LOCATION | Spartanburg, S.C. (Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium)
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
The first half showcased back-and-forth action as both teams traded baskets throughout the opening minutes. King stretched its lead to seven points at the 9:34 mark, but Chowan responded quickly. Markell Hollis knocked down a pair of free throws before hitting back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Hawks within striking distance with 7:53 remaining. The Tornado held a slim 33-32 advantage heading into halftime after converting a three-pointer just before the buzzer.
King came out strong in the second half, building a 13-point lead with just over eight minutes left to play. Chowan, however, weathered the storm for the comeback. Eric Gordon Jr. started the charge with a layup before Will Hynes drained a corner three. Gordon continued the run with another drive to the basket followed by a three-pointer, fueling a 10-0 scoring surge that cut the deficit to three with 3:21 remaining.
King briefly pushed its lead back to six with a three-pointer, but the Hawks kept edging forwardc. Hollis and Gordon combined to keep Chowan within reach as Hollis converted free throws and drove in a layup to trim the deficit to three. Gordon then buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 67-67. After King regained the lead on the next possession, Hollis responded with a clutch layup to send the game into overtime tied at 69-69.
In overtime, Hollis opened the scoring before Hynes went to the free-throw line twice, converting three attempts. Gordon then delivered the decisive moment, knocking down a three-pointer to put Chowan ahead late. Hollis added two free throws in the final seconds to secure the 79-76 victory.
Hollis led all scorers with 20 points, connecting on six field goals including two three-pointers, while adding seven defensive rebounds and three assists. Gordon finished with 17 points, shooting 4-7 from beyond the arc while also recording four rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal.
Damerius Summers added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Joseph Lezeau II contributed 10 points, shooting 2-3 from three-point range and a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line. William Hynes and Damien Robinson each chipped in eight points. Hynes added five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, while Robinson dominated the glass with 13 rebounds and three blocks.
UP NEXT
Chowan advances to the Conference Carolinas Semifinals where the Hawks will face UNC Pembroke on Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 PM at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium on the campus of Wofford College.
