Men's Basketball overcomes deficit, downs Adelphi in thriller

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - Down three starters and down big at the halftime break, the American International College men's basketball team engineered a comeback and won in heart-stopping fashion, 69-68 against Adelphi University in Northeast-10 Conference play on Saturday, January 27.

AIC is now 7-12 overall and 5-8 in the NE10.

After a scoreless first 3:30, Justice Ellison and Conor Regan traded field goals, but the Panthers followed with the next nine to build a double-digit lead before Aguibou Balde sank a shot. AIC worked to keep it close, and fr a bit were able to thanks to threes by Jacob Barnett and Balde. However, the Panthers continued to put shots in, particuarly from deep. Four triples down the stretch staked the visitors to a 35-22 advantage at the break.

Both teams had a scoring burst early in the second, and AIC began chipping away as Ellison knocked in a three and a two; Kanye Wavezwa buried a shot as well to shrink AIC's gap to just four. The Panthers scored the next four, but AIC turned it around again, with an and-one by Ellison followed by another two from Wavezwa. It was a theme of the middle stages of the half; Adelphi scored, and AIC countered. Carlos Hubb's triple just after the midpoint of the frame had AIC down just 53-49.

Hubb put away two free throws, and Jalen Jordan followed shortly after with his own and-one, putting AIC within one. The Panthers tried desperately to hang on, but after Ellison closed the gap again, Balde swiped the ball and sent Hubb breaking in. He missed, but Ellson slammed the putback to give AIC its first lead since his field goal to begin the scoring. 

With the game now down to winning the final 3:29, the teams both elevated their games again. Four straight possessions ended in buckets, with an Ellison and-one adding to AIC's lead, but the Panthers tied it again with a minute to play.

A foul with just nine seconds to play put Adelphi at the line, and the Panthers hit the first, but missed the second. It was the opening AIC needed, and they put the ball in the hands of their MVP candidate. Ellison drove in, and drew contact on his way to the hoop. Unlike his Panther counterpart, he did not miss, sinking both free throws with 2.9 left on the clock to give AIC a 69-68 lead. A desperation heave at the buzzer went well off target, earning the Yellow Jackets the win. 

Ellison worked third shift in the game, scoring just the one field goal in the first half before his 70-percent shooting in the second put him at 21 points for the game along with five assists and five rebounds. Balde posted 15 points and eight boards as well in the win.

The team returns to action Tuesday, January 30 at Southern Connecticut State University. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.