Hornets earn first win in OT
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
By ROB PATRICK
BRYANT TIMES
CABOT — Chad Pitts came in off the bench to hit a clutch 3-pointer with :09 left in regulation to send the Bryant Hornets’ game against the Cabot Panthers into overtime. He then knocked down another bomb to start the extra period and, with Keith Richardson converting 5-of-6 free throws after that, the Hornets notched their first win of the season, 47-44, in OT on Monday, Nov. 25.
Richardson scored a team-high 14 points including 12 of 15 from the line in the game. Brad Gamble added 11 points.
The Hornets trailed 35-30 with 3:20 left in the game. Gamble was fouled on a 3-point try with 3:13 left and hit all three free throws to trim the lead to 2.
With two trips to the line on the same possession, Cabot managed a pair of free throws to make it 37-33 then got another shot to extend the lead when a charging call went their way on Nick Dorsey’s baseline drive.
But the Hornets forced a turnover and, with 2:02 left, Richardson hit two more free throws to make it a 2-point game again.
Both teams had opportunities after that until, with :19.5 left, Cabot’s Chad Glover was fouled. He made just one of the free throws, however, leaving the door open for the Hornets, down 38-35.
Pitts took advantage. After his 3 bottomed out to tie it, Cabot called timeout with :08.6 showing. But the Panthers never got a shot.
Pitts’ 3 to start the overtime gave Bryant its first lead since their was 5:08 left in regulation.
The Hornets led 43-40 with 1:42 left and turned the ball over but Gamble came up with a steal. Another Bryant turnover gave Cabot another chance but, once again, Gamble came through with a theft and, this time, Richardson was sent to the line where he converted twice to make it 45-40 with :53.4 to go.
Moments later, Cabot’s Josh Watkins hit a free throw. On his missed second shot, Eric von Wald rebounded for the Panthers but Bryant sophomore Chase Shaw, in after junior centers Devin Rice and Casey Grisham had fouled out, drew a charge, preserving the 4-point lead.
And, at the other end, Shaw rebounded a missed layup and was fouled with :20 left. He converted once to make it 46-41.
Watkins missed a 3 and teammate Jesse Williams rebounded, but the Hornets forced a held ball and, with :08.5 left, Richardson hit a free throw to put the finishing touches on the win. A last-second 3 by Trae Rigdon proved merely cosmetic.
The win evened Bryant’s record at 1-1 going into the Tuesday, Nov. 26, game at Benton. The encouraging factor was the way the team responded late in the game under the gun. But head coach Mark Smith and assistant Chad Withers were still concerned by the scoring drought the Hornets fell into along the way.
Bryant got off to a fast start, scoring the game’s first 7 points on a 3 by Gamble, a layup by Dorsey off a nice feed from Gamble and a stickback, moments later, by Dorsey.
Cabot which was 1-for-10 from the field in the first quarter, broke the ice with a pair of free throws but Grisham answered with a driving layup.
The Hornets led 13-6 at the end of the quarter then built a lead of as much as 12 in the second period. It was 19-12 when Richardson hit a free throw with 3:16 left in the half. He missed the second shot but Grisham rebounded and, moments later, Gamble fed Rice for a basket and the game’s first double-digit lead.
The Hornets missed a couple of opportunities to add to the margin before Gamble finally canned a baseline jumper to make it 24-12.
A late 3 by Rigdon made it 24-15 at the half.
But to start the second half, the Hornets couldn’t find the basket. Cabot went on a 12-0 run that was hardly overwhelming since it took seven minutes to put together. Bryant’s offensive frustrations ended with 1:05 left in the quarter when Richardson fed Grisham for a basket. He was fouled on the play but couldn’t complete the three-point play. Dorsey, however, rebounded the missed free throw only to misfire on a 3-point try.
Cabot led 29-26 going into the fourth quarter as that basket proved to be the only 2 points for Bryant in the third period.
A free throw by Richardson and a 3-pointer by Gamble gave the Hornets the lead back, though, with 5:08 to go. But Cabot answered with a surge that produced the 35-30 lead that set up the stretch run.
