Another Buzzer Beater for the Tigers

Marion, AL. – The MMI Tigers earned their first ACCC conference win last night in dramatic finish, defeating the Lions of Reid State Technical College by a score of 97-95.

Jamarion Ezell scored MMI's first points of the game and both teams traded baskets throughout the first 10 minutes of the first half.  The Lions of Reid State used the final nine minutes and a scoring drought by Marion to build a double-digit lead.  Johnathon Crawford hit a three-pointer from the left wing and Isaiah Green scored on a layup with under two minutes to play before intermission to cut the lead to six points, but the Lions hit a three and then earned an old fashioned three-point play to build the lead back to ten points.  Reid State held a 50-40 lead at halftime.

Crawford opened the second half for the Tigers with another three-pointer and the Tigers went on a small run to cut the lead to four, 48-52.  The Lions matched Marion's run and built the lead back to double digits with 11:04 to play in regulation.  They saw their largest lead, fifteen points, with a little over nine minutes to play before Marion's head coach, Timothy Rodgers, called a timeout.

The timeout seemed to turn the momentum as Marion clawed back into the game and Crawford laid the ball up with four and a half minutes to play to cut the lead back to five, 83-88.  After Reid State hit a jumper Dashley Estime scored from inside the lane; Tigers down three (87-90) at the 2:57 mark.  After a Lion timeout Estime recorded one of his two steals and scored to cut the deficit to just one point. 

Another Lion basket extended their lead back to three (89-92) when Jahmar Brown was fouled.  With 1:52 remaining in the game, Brown connected on both free throws and a back court violation by the Lions in their next possession gave the ball back to the Tigers.  A foul by the Lions saw Crawford connect on one of his two chances; the game tied 92-92.  Reid State scored on one of two free throw attempts, but Tyrone Wright got a dunk after a back door cut along the baseline: Tigers up 94-93 with 58.1 seconds on the clock.  After a Marion timeout the Lions scored to give the lead back to the visitors from Evergreen, Alabama.  A turnover and a foul by the Tigers sent Reid State back to the charity stripe.  After a miss, Marion secured the rebound and called their last timeout.

With 2.5 seconds left in the game and the Tigers having to go the full length of the court to score, Jahmar Brown found Tyrone Wright for the initial pass.  Wright flipped the ball to Crawford on the left wing, and he drained a three-pointer before the buzzer sounded.

Crawford led Marion with 29 points.  Jahmar Brown and Tyrone each had 12 points; Wright grabbed a team high eight rebounds.  Dashley Estime and Jaylen Carrington both provided solid minutes off the bench.  Estime scored 15 while Carrington dished out six assists with 11 points.  Also scoring for MMI was Isaiah Green (7), Aidan Driggers (4), Jamarion Ezell (4), and Julian Whitfield (3).

MMI will travel to Bevill State Community College Thursday, November 30, for another ACCC match-up.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.