The South Georgia State College Hawks defense forced a missed shot in the lane with two seconds left in regulation and watched the ball roll out of bounds as time expired to seal a 70-69 win over the Florida State College-Jacksonville (FSCJ) Blue Wave Saturday afternoon.
Leading 70-69 with 36.4 seconds remaining in the game, the Hawks’ (10-2) final possession saw them manage the shot clock effectively. Zaquavian Smith missed a jumper with less than 10 seconds left, which then began the game’s final sequence where the Hawks managed to hold on and get the win.
The game featured nine ties and six lead changes, and the Hawks trailed by as many as seven points during the first half.
“That game was wild,” said head coach Cory Baldwin. “I have to credit our second team. We subbed them in when we were down by six in the second half, and they battled to tie it up. We also hit some big shots late.”
Smith led the Hawks with 24 points and five rebounds. O’Showen Williams was the only other player in double figures with 14 points, three assists, and three steals.
The win evens the season series between the two teams. The Blue Wave defeated the Hawks 76-65 Nov. 30 in Jacksonville.
The Hawks will play their final home game before the Christmas break Monday night, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. against Faith Baptist. General admission to all regular season home games is five dollars with children five and under admitted free.
– Submitted