Hillsborough’s Last Second Free Throw Sinks #10 Florida SouthWestern
(Feb. 12, 2022)
FORT MYERS, Fla.– A 15-0 run late in the second half and a free throw with 1.5 seconds remaining on the clock was all it took for the visiting Hillsborough Hawks to pull off a stunning 72-71 upset against the #10 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Saturday afternoon in Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
Both sides got out to slow starts with each team putting up just six points through the first five minutes. At that point, Hillsborough found their strok, going on a 12-3 run to open up a nine point lead, 18-9, forcing a Buccaneer timeout.
Slowly the Bucs worked their way back, drawing to within four on a nice hookup from Bryant Selebangue to Jonathan Dos Anjos. Then Selebangue was on the receiving end of a dime from Marcus Niblack to make it a two point game at 27-25 with 3:49 left in the half.
The Bucs had a chance to tie just before the half, but a shot fell short and Hillsborough took a 34-31 lead into the locker rooms at the break. The Bucs were able to keep it to a three point game during the first twenty despite shooting just 39% from the field and going 0-8 from three point land.
Early in the second half, FSW quickly tied the score. Over the next eight minutes, the two teams traded jabs leading to another deadlock at 48 midway through the period. Rhyjon Blackwell sparked a 6-0 run for the Bucs after nailing a jumper and them completing an old fashioned three point play. Moments later they extended their lead to nine at 61-52 with 6:30 left.
Just when it looked like the Bucs had gained control of the game, here came the Hawks. Hillsborough went on a 9-0 run to level the score at 61 and continued to push. Holding FSW without a single point for five agonizing minutes, HCC turned a nine point deficit into a six point lead at 67-61 with under 2:00 to go.
The Hawks cushioned their lead to seven 60 seconds later, and looked like they had things wrapped up, but FSW had different ideas. A three from Blackwell and Selebangue’s and-one knotted the score again at 71 with :15.7 remaining.
Holding for the last shot, the Hawks Japhet Medor (the nations 7th leading scorer at 22.8 ppg) fired a step back three which missed the mark. However, in an attempt to contest the shot, FSW’s Rhyjon Blackwell get a little too close. Slightly bumping into Medor, the offical whistled Blackwell for the foul, stopping the clock with 1.5 seconds left in regulation.
Medor, hitting 75% of his nation leading 206 FT attempts, stepped to the line shooting three. With the Bucs sparse but boisterous faithful making as much noise as possible, Medor missed the first two throws. But the bonus ball found the bottom of the net, giving the Hawks the one point lead.
Florida SouthWestern’s desperation attempt for a chance to win never materialized. Phillip Smith’s 3/4 court inbounds heave went off the hand of teammate Kaiyem Cleary, falling harmlessly into the arms of the Hawks Marlon Allen as time expired.
Blackwell led the Bucs with 20 points in the loss, going 7-12 from the field and 2-4 from three. Cleary and Jordan Mitchell combined for 22 off the FSW bench, Mitchell accountable for 12. Selebangue, nibbling at another double-double finished with 9 points and 9 caroms.
Medor, the Hawks leading scorer in all but six of their 23 games, was the Hillsborough Hero once again, not only as top scorer (28), but providing the winning point. Japhet also was team high with 6 pass-outs and three steals. Marlon Allen followed with 14, while Jerome Palm interjected a 13 point/17 rebound double-double.
The Bucs lose for the second straight game, dropping them to 19-5 overall and 6-3 in Southern Conference play where find themselves in second place. FSW trails leader #2 Indian River by 3 1/2 games. Those two will meet Wednesday in Ft. Pierce for their third and final time of the regular season.
Hillsborough improves to 10-13 overall and 4-6 in league play, and head home to finish out their schedule against Miami Dade and State College of Florida on Wednesday and Saturday.
(Partial content from FSW sports information)
