WICHITA, KAN – It took an overtime thriller Saturday afternoon (Dec.1) as the Newman University men's basketball team (5-4 1-1) notched their first conference win of the season against Oklahoma Christian (3-4, 0-2)
The game started rather auspiciously for Oklahoma Christian as they were given an administrative technical foul before the game and trailed 1-0 before the game tipped off. The Eagles came out in a zone, which was the difference in the first four minutes. Newman found the open man twice and knocked down two quick three-pointers. The Jets led 10-8 at the first media timoeut.
The Jets started to open the game up with 6:40 to go using a 5-0 run capped off by a Dametrius Walker three -pointer prompting a timeout from Oklahoma Christian.
The Jets gained momentum heading into the locker room as senior guard Ben Ayer beat the buzzer sinking home a fade away 3-pointer in the corner. The Jets took their largest lead of the game into the locker room at 45-38. Through the first 20 minutes the Jets owned the boards outrebounding the Eagles 19-9 on the glass. Ayer led all scorers with 16 points going 3-3 from beyond the 3-point line in the first half.
The Eagles used some strong 3-point shooting early in the second half with an 8-3 run, cutting the Jets lead down to just 48-46 in the first two minutes of the second half.
Thea Eagles continued to stay hot just before the midway point of the second half, knocking down five of their first seven 3-point shot attempts in the second half regaining the lead at 61-58 with a 10-3 run. Newman in that span went over three minutes without recording a basket.
Over the next 3:55, the Jets rallied back with a 9-4 run as they got good execution on set plays finding wide open layups underneath.
Late in the second half, the Jets trailing by four with 59 seconds to play, got a huge turnover after full-court pressure led to a careless Eagles pass sailing out of bounds. Marshawn Blackmon hit two free throws to make it a three point game. The Newman pressure late continued to fluster the Eagles guards leading to another turnover. Blackmon continued to thrive in the pressure sinking home a fade away jumper in the paint tying the game at 82-82 with three seconds to go.
Oklahoma Christian was unable to get a good look with three seconds left sending the game into overtime.
In the overtime period the game continued to go back and forth until Juwan Davenport took over scoring the first six points in the extra period giving the Jets the lead. The Jets sunk free throws in the final minute securing a 100-94 victory.
Junior guard, Juwan Davenport led the Jets in scoring with 25 points, while pulling down eight rebounds. The Jets had three others finish in double-figures in scoring, Dametrius Walker added 20 points, Ben Ayre finished with 19 points going four of six from behind the 3-point line and Marshawn Blackmon wrapped up with 16 points.
The Jets will head back out on the road for a quick one game road trip against Northwestern Oklahoma State Tuesday evening (Dec. 4). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Alva, OK.
