CSM Rallies for 82-80 Win over SVCC
The Southside Virginia Community College men’s basketball team gave the College of Southern Maryland all it wanted in South Hill on Saturday afternoon but the visitors rallied late to claim an 82-80 victory.
The victory improved CSM to 11-7 on the season while SVCC fell to 4-4.
The Hawks jumped out to an 8-point lead early in the first half but a trey by Nile Atwater and a 3-point play by David Gant allowed the Panthers to close to 23-22 at the 6:08 mark.
CSM answered with a 18-10 run to take a 41-32 lead to the halftime break.
The Panthers clawed back early in the second half as a 4-point play by Atwater gave SVCC a 46-44 lead at the 15:54 mark.
A rebound and putback by Christian Trent and a trey by Atwater ran the SVCC lead to 60-50 at the 12:01 mark but the Hawks answered to cut the lead to two with eight minutes to play.
Buckets by Marquise Petty and Lanthony Joyner extended the SVCC lead to 73-66 with 3:31 left to play.
CSM rallied with a 10-3 run to take a lead on a layup by Rasheed Cooley for a 76-75 lead at the 1:35 mark.
A steal and bucket by Magic Hewlett extended the Hawks’ lead to 78-75 with 1:05 to play.
Following a CSM turnover, Atwater scored on a drive to the bucket to cut the lead to 78-77 but the visitors hit two-free throws and rebounded a missed SVCC shot with 19 seconds left before being fouled.
The Hawks hit both hit free-throws for a five-point lead before Atwater buried a trey at the buzzer to trim the final margin to two.
Atwater led all scorers with eight treys and a season-high 33 points while Gant scored 12 and Jermonta James added 11 points.
Melvin Davis led CSM with 18 points while Cooley scored 16 and Reggie Washington added 12.
SVCC………32 48 - 80
CSM………..41 41 – 82
SVCC – Petty 5, Atwater 33, James 11, Gant 12, Callis 4, Joyner 4, Josh Jiggetts 6, Trent 2, Joseph Jiggetts 2.
Nile Atwater hit eight treys and scored a season-high 33 points but the College of Southern Maryland rallied late to claim an 82-80 win over SVCC. (Dennis Smith)