Flyers Top Red Hawks on Upchurch Buzzer-Beater
A tie-breaking putback by Isaiah Upchurch as time expired gave the Sandhills Community College basketball team a thrilling 101-99 victory over Catawba Valley CC at The Hangar on Wednesday evening.
Ranked No. 11 in this weeks NJCAA DIII national poll, the Flyers overcame a 59-48 halftime deficit and improved to 2-2 as the Division II Red Hawks from Hickory dropped to 2-3. Upchurch, a 6-foot-6 sophomore finished with a game-high 23 points. Also in double figures for Head Coach Mike Apple's squad were Nylikk Troutman with 16, and Titus Cunningham and Cristian Sias with 13 apiece.
Next for the Flyers is a trip to Johnstown, PA for the Pennsylvania Highlands CC Turkey Classic where they will face the host team at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and Bryant and Stratton CC (OH) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
About midway through the second half on Wednesday, the Flyers drew even at 77-77 off a steal by Randy Dockery that led to a basket by Nysheed Williams. The two teams were never more than four points apart the rest of the way, leading up to the decisive basket by Upchurch.
On the game-winner, D'dric Rogers passed the ball to Mylon Campbell in the deep right corner as the clock wound down. Campbell launched a desperation shot that was long, but Upchurch rebounded the miss and shot the ball in the same motion. The ball went into the basket as time expired and the product of Southern Lee High School was buried in a pile of exultant teammates.
"I am happy we won the game, but right now there is not a single aspect of the game that we don't have to improve upon to be a contending team this year," Apple said afterward. "The best thing about tonight is I think our team understands that now as well. We have the talent but it is going to take a while to mesh."
Other statistical leaders for the Flyers were Zack Noel with a game-high 13 rebounds, Troutman with five assists and Noel and Titus Cunningham with three steals apiece. The Flyers made 55.4 per cent of their shots from the field.
by Charlie Bergmann
