SFA Jacks pushed to the brink by East Texas A&M Lions

Photo credit: Donovan Bridgeforth

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (TXAN 24) - On Monday night at William Johnson Arena in Nacogdoches, there was a battle of two Pineywood teams and both came into the game with a point to prove. That point being, who runs the Pineywood on the hardwood.

In the first ten minutes of play both teams were fairly evenly matched, despite the big difference in overall records. East Texas A&M used the to their advantage holding a six-point lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half and maintained that edge all the way to the five minute mark, when the Jacks tied it up at 29 with a mid range jump shot from freshmen guard Marcus Scurry. The Jacks eventually reclaimed the lead with a lay-up by freshmen guard Bryceson Melvin.

The two Pineywood ball clubs began trading baskets back and forth towards the end of the half, with Stephen F. Austin taking a slim two points lead into the break.

East Texas A&M University came out of the break and held the Jacks scoreless as they reclaimed the league and pushed it to six points until the Jacks responded with a run of their own. The Jacks then pushed their newly claimed lead to eight points with just over ten minutes remaining in the contest, but the lions refused to go-away.

The Jacks had to step on the gas pedal to carve out a ten point lead as the five minute mark approached in the second half, through tough bucket conversions, steals and some close misses by Lions on the other end of the floor which the Jacks collected for rebounds.

A timely three pointer from sophomore guard Narit Chotikavanic extended the lead to thirteen points with under four minutes remaining. Down the stretch ETAMU struggled with turnovers at key moments.

The Lumberjacks could have kept the lead cushioned behind converting at the charity stripe, but left some meat on the bone and ETAMU chipped into the lead on the other end to bring it to within four points with just over one minute remaining; and three points with just over thirty seconds.

A defensive stop, shot clock violation, by ETAMU gave them the ball with 10.4 seconds on the clock with a chance to send this game into overtime. SFA elected to foul and sent Damian Garcia for a pair of free throws instead of giving the Lions an attempt at a three.

Garcia missed the back end of the pair and SFA collected the rebound and were fouled immediately to send them back to the line where the Jacks pushed the lead back to two possessions with 5.3 seconds on the clock.

Final Score: 74-70

SFA wins.