Lake County Sentinel
Storm tops Findlay in OT 81-67 in home finale
(PAINESVILLE, OH) - For the second straight season, the Lake Erie College men's basketball team's home finale went into overtime and for the second straight year, the Storm prevailed in the extra session.
On Saturday (Feb. 13), the Storm erased a late deficit against the University of Findlay and outscored the Oilers 16-2 in overtime to capture a thrilling 81-67 win in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division play.
The game featured 11 ties and nine lead changes.
The teams traded scoring possessions throughout the opening five minutes as the Oilers owned a 10-8 lead at the first media timeout. After the media timeout, the Storm went on a 10-2 run before the Oilers answered with a 6-0 run midway through the half.
Michael Morris (New Palestine, Ind./New Palestine) tied the game at 20. However, the Oilers went on an 8-2 run to gain a 28-22 advantage with five minutes to play. The Storm cut the lead to one with a three by Sean Howard (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) but the Oilers scored at the buzzer to take a 33-29 lead into the half.
Trey Howard (Lima, Ohio/Lima Shawnee) led the Storm with six points in the opening half. Morris, Sean Howard and Andy Bosley (Columbus, Ohio/Orange) had five points apiece. Bosley also had three rebounds. Darin Lewis (Cleveland, Ohio/Cuyahoga Heights) had two points and two rebounds.
The teams traded baskets until Roy Alexander (Columbus, Ohio/Walnut Ridge) tied the game at 35 in the second half. Heading into the media timeout, the Oilers outscored the Storm 5-2 to regain the lead, 40-37. The Oilers maintained their lead over the next five minutes as they owned a 46-43 lead midway through the half.
Following the media timeout, the Storm scored four straight points with Nick Wells (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary's) giving the Storm a 47-46 lead with a pair of free-throws. The lead was short lived as the Oilers went on a 5-2 run to take a 51-50 lead with five minutes remaining.
The teams went back-and-forth as the Storm cut the lead to 61-60 with a minute-and-a-half to play. The Oilers scored four straight points to push their lead to five, 65-60.
With under thirty seconds to play, Trey Howard went to the free-throw line and converted two opportunities to bring the score within three.
The Storm defense stepped on the ensuing inbound, forcing an Oiler turnover and giving themselves the final shot of the game.
A Trey Howard three hit off the rim but Bosley grabbed the rebound and kicked it out to Sean Howard who drained the three and sent the game into overtime.
The Storm got off to a hot start in the extra session. Trey Howard and Morris scored quick baskets to give the Storm a 69-65 lead.
Sean Howard converted to straight layups-and-one to push the advantage to 75-65. Bosley capped off the 12-0 run with a pair of free-throws.
After the Oilers broke the Storm's run, Bosley hit four more free-throws, putting the game out of reach.
Trey Howard finished with 17 points and four rebounds. He went seven-of-seven from the free-throw line. Andy Bosley scored 15 points to go with a team-high nine rebounds. He went eight-of-eight from the free-throw line. Sean Howard scored 14 points with three rebounds. Alexander was also in double-digits with 12 points. Wells scored eight points to go with his seven rebounds. Morris finished with seven points.
The Storm shot 45% (27-of-60) for the game. At the free-throw line, the Storm converted 22-of-23 (95.7%). The Storm bench outscored their Findlay counterparts 48-17.
Lake Erie is back in action Thursday (Feb. 28) at Tiffin University.
POSTED 02/13/2015 18:18
