(See video of dramatic last second game winning shot here)
If the Barton Community College men's basketball team needed a win in the non-conference season, Saturday night's remarkable comeback at the Barton Gym might be the remedy. After squandering a twenty-two point lead Friday, the Cougars fought through adversity to steal a 112-111 last second double overtime victory over Independence Community College to wrap up the Best Western Angus Inn/Cougar Booster Club Thanksgiving Classic. Barton improves to 9-4 on the season while Independence drops to 3-7. Due to having an open date in the 30-game schedule, the Cougars have added a game this Thursday against the K-State Salina Club basketball team. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at the Barton Gym with free admission. Fans are encouraged to bring food donation items to help benefit the local community during the holiday season.
Changing leads four times in the first half, the Pirates broke a twenty-eight all tie with four minutes to play with a 7-2 run. James Jappa keyed the run finishing off a three-point play as the Cougars committed thirteen first half fouls, two fouls on four different players.
JR Owens quickly pushed the Indy lead to eight knocking down one of his three second half treys. Isaac Williams answered with the first of his two second half treys only to be answered again by Owens.
The Pirates kept the Cougars at arm's reach until a Trey Unrau three-pointer followed by Deriece Parks' trey and coast-to-coast layup cut the deficit to one with 13:30 to play. Three minutes later and down by four, another Unrau trey preceded back-to-back treys from Parks. Problem for the Cougars though, Independence's Jerry Melton and Jimmie Duplessis kept scoring on the Pirates end for a 62-59 lead at the 9:22 media timeout.
With Raheem Johnson plagued with foul trouble and sent to the bench with his fourth eight minutes remaining, Montrell McKenzie's strong inside move brought the Cougars to within one at 64-63. But a combined twenty-four point effort by Melton and Owens built the Pirate lead back out to six with four minutes remaining.
Following Johnson's fifth foul and subsequent knee-jerk reaction of slapping the floor in frustration, insult to injury was added as Johnson picked up a technical foul. Independence would then score six of the next seven points to build a ten point lead with only 1:17 remaining.
In a game filled with a plethora of big time shots, one of the biggest of the night came from Unrau just a few second after Independence grabbed its biggest lead of the half. Receiving a pass from Tyler Corley, Unrau quickly launched a trey in front of the Barton bench brining hope to the Cougars.
After a Pirate timeout and a Melton inside bucket, two Corley free throws and an Isaac Williams three pointer closed the gap to 87-83 with fifty-seven seconds remaining. The lead remained four points until a Darius Gibson drive brought the Cougars back to within two with twenty-eight seconds.
A steal by Gibson and dish to Tyler Corley almost tied the game, but Corley was fouled and converted only the first of his two free throws. Melton returned the favor for Independence, making the first of his two giving the Cougars the last possession.
Again enter Unrau who previously knocked down a big three, coming up with one of the biggest offensive rebounds of the game grabbing a Gibson miss. Corley then tied the game five seconds later on a driving left hand layup around a Pirate defender.
Melton had the last opportunity for Independence but his 16' fade away rimmed off to force overtime.
With Barton making field goals and Independence making free throws, both teams had a chance to break a 101 tie in the final seconds. Corley missed a jump shot with thirteen seconds while Devantae Newton missed on the Pirates end with two seconds remaining.
The stat of the night came at the conclusion of the overtime as the score read 101-101 while 101 free throws were attempted. Corley would also enter the Barton record books attempting twenty-one free throws, the second most single game attempts.
Heading to the second overtime, Barton was at a severe disadvantage inside the paint without the services of Johnson, McKenzie, and Darryln Johnson due to fouling out. The Pirates capitalized building a six point lead in the first two minutes.
Following a Corley bucket in the paint and a Melton turnover, Gibson knocked down a jumper to draw within two. Darius Bean hauled down a Melton missed a three-pointer as the Cougars tied the game with fourteen seconds remaining on another Gibson bucket.
With 109 free throws being attempted in the contest, two Duplessis free throws with 2.5 seconds seemed to have sealed the Cougars fate with only 2.5 seconds remaining.
With few options and having called their last timeout, the Cougars' Williams fed Corley in full stride with a perfect inbounds pass. Speeding past the Pirate bench and meeting no resistance, Corley dribbled beyond half court and flicked up a running shot attempt beyond the arc as time expired finding nothing but the bottom of the net giving the Cougars the dramatic 112-111 win. (See Corley's game winner on the Barton Sports YouTube Channel)
Corley led all players with thirty-three points while also dishing out eight assists. Gibson added twenty-two while Williams scored fourteen to along with nine rebounds. Parks and Unrau were big sparks off the bench scoring eleven and nine points respectively while shooting a combined 6-of-13 from behind the arc.
Melton scored thirty-one points on 11-of-19 shooting to lead four Pirates in double figures. Owens was big inside and out recording a double-double twenty-nine points in part to 4-of-7 shooting behind the arc and grabbing thirteen rebounds. Coming off the bench Duplessis and James Jappa scored eighteen and fourteen points respectively as the pair combined for 22-of-27 free throw shooting.
In the earlier game of the Classic, Neosho County Community College followed its big win over the Cougars with a 97-89 win over Brown Mackie College. Neosho improved to 9-1 on the season while Brown Mackie, ranked No. 5 in the NJCAA Division II poll, dropped to 7-3.
Charles Cooper came off the bench to score twenty-two in leading six Panthers in double-digit scoring. Joseph Acuil also came off the bench to post a double-double of thirteen points and fourteen rebounds to go along with four blocked shots. Brett Frantz and Kyler Steadman each scored eleven while BJ Jenkins and Jamie Batish, who dropped twenty-eight on Friday night, each contributed ten.
Jason Jordan led the Lions with twenty-one points and nine steals to go along with a team high eight rebounds. Rico Spikes was close behind with twenty while also leading in assists with four and DeMarien Smith added ten points coming off the bench.