PITTSBURGH, Pa. – After falling behind (44-38) at half time, thanks to a career-day performance by La Roche's Kadyn Hannah, the Hilbert College men's basketball team rallied from an nine-point second-half deficit to force overtime.   The Hawks outscored the Redhawks (12-9) in the five minute extra period and evened the AMCC series after earning a hard-fought 88-85 victory.

Five different Hilbert players posted double digit points today while Quran Briggs and Michael Pollard came up big down the stretch to ensure the victory.

THE BASICS              

• Final Overtime Score: Hilbert 88  |  La Roche 85
• Location: Kerr Fitness Center  | Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Records: I  Hawks 7-12, 3-7 AMCC | Redhawks  8-10, 6-4 AMCC 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Freshman Quran Briggs (41 minutes) tossed in 20 points, hit two of three 3-pointers and added four rebounds.  He lifted Hilbert into overtime scoring the final five points in regulation.
• Covid-freshman Edward Perez earned his fourth double double pairing 17 points with 12 rebounds while cleaning the offensive boards (7). Freshman Nevada Eldridge posted 14 points, going 8-for-10 at the charity stripe, three assists and two steals from the paint.
• Covid-freshman Eric Jackson's poise on the court helped the Hawks down the stretch as he finished with 11 points and four assists in 39 minutes, while sophomore Jahmel Demery tossed in 10 points (4-for-5 FG).

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Hilbert held a 4-2 lead after three Hawk offensive possessions after winning the tip.
• But La Roche then went on a tear, scoring on 12 of their next 13 trips to take a 26-16 lead with just over nine minutes remaining in the half.
• Hilbert made a run over the next five minutes as Eldridge, Perez  and Demery combined for 16 points and reduced the difference to four (28-24).
• La Roche's 6-4 forward Kadyn Hannah stretched the margin back to seven after knocking down his third 3-point field goal in the half at 5:23.
• The Hawks responded their next trip, but La Roche drilled another deep make and Hannah closed the half for the Redhawks scoring three more buckets to give the hosts a 44-38 advantage after 20 minutes.
• Hannah continued his scoring spree early in the second half, lifting La Roche by nine at 18:48.
• Briggs reached from downtown and then followed with a fastbreak layup pulling Hilbert within four - 50-46 (17:32).
• Demhery (3 points) and Shawn Gashi (2) forced a La Roche timeout as Hilbert trailed by one (52-51) just 30-seconds later.
• Jackson's take to the rim lifted Hilbert for the first time in the second half (54-53) at 14:16.
• Three times over the next three minutes Hilbert stretched their lead to three points, but La Roche shifted to a 3-2 zone on defense, went on a five-point run, and took a 62-60 lead.  La Roche's zone caused the royal and white problems as they outscored the Hawks 9-2 taking their largest lead (71-62) late in the game with 5:37 remaining.
• Jackson  was fouled in the act of shooting at 4:10 and made both.
• After Hilbert forced a La Roche turnover on their next possession (3:58) Michael Pollard's deep make was a gut-punch to La Roche. 
• The hosts turned the ball over again and forced their coach to take a timeout at 3:24 as they held a 71-67 advantage.
• Jackson made a nice entry pass to Eldridge in the lane and then he followed up his assist with a nice left handed floater to knot the game 71-71 with 2:28 to go.
• La Roche went back up by four, scoring a pair the charity stripe and a bucket off a Hilbert turnover that led to a fast-break lay-in.
• Briggs found enough room on the left baseline to unleash another 3-ball, pulling Hilbert within 1 with 1:30.
• The Redhawks shot an air ball which landed in Briggs hands on the trip back down the floor.  Since he was fouled, he made both from 15-feet out giving the Hawks the 76-75 advantage.
• La Roche went 1-for-2 at the foul line with 0:38 on the game clock (76-76) and since neither team was able to score before the final horn, the game was extended five additional minutes.

OVERTIME

• Eldridge finished a nice drop-step, spin to the middle score off an entry pass from Pollard to lift Hilbert by two in overtime and then secured the first defensive rebound of the period.
• La Roche went back to their 3-2 zone defense and it forced another Hilbert turnover at the foul line which resulted in another even score (78-78).
• Pollard hit a baseline jumper just before the 30-second shot clock expired and then secured a steal on defense.  He finished the possession with another 3-point field goal lifting Hilbert (83-78) with 2:15 remaining.
• The Hawks made a stop on defense, went the length of the floor and Perez earned another offensive rebound put-back to stretch the lead to seven with 1:50.
• La Roche's Joe Pipilo, who hadn't missed yet from the foul line all season long, made his 31st, and 32nd at 1:30 (85-80). 
• Eldridge made a power move to the paint and was whistled for an offensive foul/turnover which gave the hosts the ball again with 0:37 on the clock.
• After Hilbert blocked a shot, and as the ball was sailing out of bounds, Pipilo hung in the air long enough to find an open teammate in the paint for two (85-82).
• La Roche extended their pressure to full court and fouled Jackson just six seconds into the play.  He connected twice (87-82) and Demery added one more free throw make with 12-seconds remaining for the 88-82 lead.
• La Roche drilled a 3-pointer (0:07)- 88-85 – and went right back to the full court press looking for another quick foul.
• A pair of Hilbert miscues with 0:05 gave the Redhawks one last desperation shot which was off target before the horn sounded. 

GAME NOTES

• Michael Pollard was a key player in the Hawks come-back victory, as he hit a momentum changing 3-pointer, set-up the easy bucket in the paint in overtime and finished with five additional points in the extra period.  He collected eight points, one rebound, one assist and one steal when his number was called.
• The Hawks finished the game with .478-percent shooting from the floor, hit only four 3-point shots and made 18-of-28 free throws.
• La Roche, even though they outscored the Hawks in fastbreak points ~ 19-5 (layups) ~ only converted on 41.1% of their field goal attempts.  They did sink eight shots from downtown and went 17-for-21 from the charity stripe.
• Kayden Hannah led all scorers with 36 points and Joe Pipilo hasn't missed all season at the foul line with a current streak at 32.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Hawks turn around and prep for their February 2nd rematch against Alfred State College in the Hafner Recreation Center.