Dec. 6 - GREENVILLE, Pa. - Despite holding an 18-point halftime advantage, the Bethany men's basketball team dropped a 76-69 overtime decision to Thiel College on Saturday afternoon in Greenville.
The opening half was a tight contest through the first nine minutes of the game, as the contest saw the teams tied at 11-11 after a jumper by Pedro Lalor (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips) knotted the score with 11:45 to play in the frame. From that point, however, the Bison would take control of the first half.
The Green & White would embark on an 11-0 run, getting five-straight points by senior Jeff Joynes (Baltimore, Md./Poly) before receiving back-to-back baskets by Lalor. Delonte' Joyce (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) would then get in on the action with a basket before the Tomcats responded with a three by Khari Bess. Alan Harper (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) would then nail a three of his own and the Bison led 25-14 with 7:22 to play.
Bethany would continue the first-half barrage, outscoring the Tomcats 17-10 the rest of the half to take an 18-point lead into the break, 42-24. In the run to end the half, Joyce provided the spark, scoring six of his ten first-half points. Joynes and Harper also each hit a three, helping Bethany to its largest halftime lead of the season.
Thiel began to fight back in the second half, outscoring Bethany 12-2 to open the half, cutting the Bison's lead to 44-36 with 12:50 to play. The Bison still held the lead in the waning seconds of the contest, but the Green & White led by just three (66-63) with 11 seconds to play. Thiel's Clandell Cetoute's three pointer with seven seconds remianing knotted the game at 66-66 and sent the contest into OT.
In the overtime frame, the Bison were held to just to just three points as they were outscored 10-3, eventually falling by a 76-69 score.
Offensively, the Bison saw four different players notch double figures, led by Joyce's 18 points. Joyce was efficient from the charity stripe, converting on 10 of his 13 free-throw attempts. Joynes and Andres Herrero (Guadalajara, Spain) each totaled 13 points while Alan Harper scored in double figures for the second time this season, finishing with 10 points.
The Bison and Tomcats we virtually even on the glass as Bethany held a +1 advantage on the boards, 38-37. Herrero led the way in rebounding, grabbing 11 boards to share the game-high. His 11 rebounds gave him his first double-double of his college career.
Bethany will be back in action on Saturday, December 13 as they travel to Beaver Falls, Pa. to take on Geneva College. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip.
