TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (November 3, 2018) – Tallahassee Community College's men's basketball team rallied to force overtime then outscored East Georgia State College 18-9 in the extra period for a 94-85 win on day two of the Seals Financial Tip-off Classic.
The Eagles are now 2-0 on the season but needed the full 45 minutes to pull out the thrilling victory.
Tallahassee held a 65-52 advantage midway through the second half only to watch the lead evaporate thanks to a three-point barrage from the Bobcats.
East Georgia State hit four shots from long distance over the next 5:38, outscoring Tallahassee 22-4, to grab a 74-69 lead with 5:01 remaining. Still trailing by three with under a minute left, freshman Eric Boone made, arguably, the play of the game. Boone blocked Momo Singhateh's shot from behind then went coast to coast for the "and 1" to tie the game at 76 with 52 seconds left.
Tallahassee got a defensive stop but couldn't convert on its own go-ahead opportunity. Left to attempt an inbounds play under its own basket with five seconds remaining, and only one second on the shot clock, an alley-oop attempt to Jalen Dalcourt turned into a 2-on-1 breakaway for East Georgia State, and a potential game-winning lay-in, but officials correctly awarded a timeout to the Bobcats with 2.3 seconds showing on the clock.
Following a timeout, Singhateh got into the paint, where he had a good look, but his shot danced around the rim and fell out to send the game to overtime.
Tallahassee scored the first nine points of overtime but watched its lead be cut to two with 49 seconds left. After an empty possession, the Eagles survived Eugene Ballard's game-tying field goal attempt before finally icing the game at the free throw line – Richard Washington (2-for-2), Mustapha Lawrence (3-for-4) and Boone (2-for-2) combined to hit seven of eight attempts in the final half minute.
For the second straight day, a balanced scoring attack paced the Eagles.
Lawrence scored a game-high 23 points off the bench while Boone had 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Washington (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Dalcourt (13 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles while Deven Palmer scored 12.
East Georgia State, who hit 15 three-pointers for the game, shot 6-of-12 from behind the arc in the first half and led for much of the game's first 20 minutes. Ballard's three gave the Bobcats a 13-5 lead less than four minutes in.
Six unanswered points by Tallahassee knotted the game at 23, and Lawrence's go-ahead three-pointer continued an eventual a 25-7 run and 42-30 lead for the Eagles at the half.
Region 8 No. 5 Tallahassee returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts No. 4 (and NJCAA No. 18) Daytona State College at 6 p.m.
In Saturday's first game of the Seals Financial Tip-off Classic, Eastern Florida State College defeated Lawson (Ala.) State Community College, 90-56.
Tallahassee Community College Athletics would like to thank the Leon County Tourist Development Council and Chick-fil-A West Tennessee Street for its support of the Seals Financial Tip-off Classic.
