TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –
Trace Hill made the game-winner and
C.J. Hines forced a loose ball late as Faulkner knocked off Stillman 74-73 in dramatic fashion at Tine Davis Gymnasium Saturday.
The Eagles trailed 73-69 with 25 seconds to play after Virgil Fields made the front end of a one-and-one to push it to a two-possession game.
Travious Johnson fouled
C.J. Hines with 18.5 seconds left, allowing the Atlanta native to knock down a pair of free throws and cut the deficit to 73-71. Hines then fouled Johnson immediately on the inbound pass with 17.7 seconds left in the game. Johnson missed the front end of a one-and-one and Hill grabbed the rebound.
Scott Sanderson called a timeout with 13.3 seconds left on the clock to draw up his team's best look.
Hines caught the inbound and dished to
Jalon Perry who pulled up for an elbow jumper 8.9 to play before seeing Hill open in the corner. Perry dished to Hill who shot an uncontested three and put the Eagles up 74-73 with six seconds left.
Following a timeout, Stillman advanced the ball as far as the Faulkner bench before taking anoher timeout with 3.8 to play. The final sequence saw Devin Merriweather drive from the left before Hines slapped the ball out from behind. Trey Petty picked the ball up in the waning moments and launched a jumper that drew iron and caromed off.
The culminating sequence punctuated a back-and-forth contest that saw the lead change 14 times and the score tied 11 times. Stillman led by as many as seven and Faulkner never led by more than three.
Faulkner shot 41.7 percent from the floor while the Tigers made 52.6 percent including 42.9 percent from three. Faulkner won the rebound battle 39-27 including 19 offensive rebounds.
Hill finished with 18 points and nine rebounds. Hines added 16 points.
Daniel Garmendia scored 10 points while
Isaiah Brooks had nine points and 10 rebounds.
Jamel Cleveland had nine points nad six rebounds all in the first half and did not play in the second. Perry added eight points in the effort.
Faulkner (18-4, 10-2 SSAC) plays again Thursday when it hosts William Carey.
