Following a hard-fought women's game Wednesday evening, the Marian University Ancilla men's basketball team tried to one-up them with some late-game heroics. Trailing 65-63 with just seconds remaining, Freshman guard Kameron Hordge buried a 3-pointer to help the Chargers to a 66-65 victory over Glen Oaks Community College, earning the Chargers a 1-0 start to the MCCAA season.
The game began with a lot of back & forth early, with neither team able to really separate for the first ten minutes or so. But the Chargers got solid play off their bench late in the first half, as Hordge heated up, plus Freshman Jayden Sanders gave them good minutes in his return to the court. The Chargers managed to extend their lead to 10 points at one time, before heading into the locker room leading, 39-30.
The second half saw the Vikings gradually trim the lead, but it was the last five minutes when things really got exciting. With 4:44 left in the game and the Chargers leading 58-57, Viking forward Daivion Boleware scored on an up-and-under and-1 play around the rim at the 4:23 mark. The Chargers bench then received a technical foul challenging that Boleware had traveled, so in addition to Boleware helping the Vikings take a 59-58 lead, he buried both technical free throws to make it 61-58, Glen Oaks. Boleware missed his and-1 free throw attempt, however.
A little over a minute ran off the clock without a score, then Hordge buried a deep 3-pointer from the right wing for the Chargers, tying it at 61-61. Glen Oaks immediately responded, as Boleware grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in, making it 63-61 Vikings. Shortly thereafter, Charger Freshman Marcellous Boyd knocked down two free throws with 2:32 remaining, and it was knotted up again at 63-63.
Again, some time ran off the clock before the Chargers put Tylan Harris at the line for a 1-and-1 with 1:26 left on the clock. Harris made both, putting Glen Oaks up 65-63, but it was the final time the Vikings would find the scoring column.
Marian Ancilla attempted three shots on the next possession, missing all three, then fouling Boleware. Boleware injured what seemed to be his ankle on the play, forcing him to be removed in favor of substitute Lavonta Ash with 49.3 seconds left. Ash missed the front end of the 1-and-1, but MUAC turned it over on a post entry pass with 34.7 seconds remaining.
Following another Charger foul with 31.9 left, Darrius Roach again missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for the Vikings, opening a huge opportunity for the Chargers to tie or take the lead. Freshman Clayton Bubash got a shot for the Chargers around the basket but missed, followed by a rebound tie-up with the arrow favoring the Chargers. Timeout, MUAC.
With 12.2 seconds left, Hordge missed another long 3-pointer, but Sophomore Ben Jones grabbed the offensive rebound for the Chargers. With just four team fouls at this point, Glen Oaks decided to foul the Chargers twice before they could get another shot. Marian Ancilla Head Coach Jeremy Herring called one last timeout with 4.7 seconds left.
Out of the timeout, and with the ball on the baseline, Hordge set a screen for Bubash to cut to the rim. For a split second, both Viking defenders followed Bubash, leaving Hordge open just enough in the deep corner to get a shot away. As the two defenders chased him down, the shot went in with 2.4 seconds remaining, and Glen Oaks couldn't get a shot off in transition, affording the Chargers the 66-65 win.
Hordge led all Charger scorers with 22 points off the bench, including knocking down 6-10 shots from deep. Sanders added 12 points and 5 rebounds off the bench, with 4 rebounds coming at the offensive end of the floor. Jones and Freshman Sean Kimble led MUAC with 8 rebounds apiece, none bigger than Jones' offensive rebound in the closing seconds.
Boleware topped Glen Oaks with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Roach (11 points) and Jordan Turner (10 points) each scored in double figures, while Harris led the Vikings with 6 assists.
The Chargers are back in action this Saturday as part of an MCCAA double-header at Lansing Community College. The women's game tips at 1:00 p.m. ET, with the men's game to follow at approximately 3:00 p.m. ET. Please come out and support the Chargers!!
