Men's Basketball Falls Short In Region Tournament

Article by Tim Hicks / Denmark Technical College

DENMARK, SC -- The SMC men's basketball team's bid for a the 2011 Region X championship fell short in a heartbreaking 60-56 loss Friday night to Cape Fear Community College.

The fifth-seeded SMC Pioneers enjoyed a nearly double-point lead over the CFCC Sea Devils after more than 14 minutes of play in the first half with a score of 23-12.

Toward the end of the first half, the Pioneers and the Sea Devils added to their respective points. CFCC tried to quicken its pace to reduce its point deficit.

However, with less than five minutes remaining in the first half, SMC guard DJ Brown (Wren HS) nailed two three-pointers within 10 seconds time to bring the Pioneers off the bench cheering.

With two minutes left in the first half, SMC still held the lead with 31-18 on the scoreboard.

With 20 seconds left in the first half, the score stood at 35-22, but CFCC ate the clock down to prevent further Pioneer scoring. At this time, CFCC player Antwan Bosier was fouled and made two free throws to finish the first half with a score of 35-24.

Five minutes into the second half and the Pioneers blazed more trails as its points surged to 44 over the Sea Devils' 30.  

However, eight minutes into the second half the Sea Devils began a slow swim back. At 12:16 in the game, CFCC was seven points within reach of SMC as the score stood at 44-37.

With nine minutes left in the game, CFCC was two points behind as the score hit 44-42 in SMC's favor.  Yet SMC would not go unchallenged as Mario Pendarvis (Summerville HS) sank a two-pointer under the basket with 8:22 left in the game to spread the score to 46-42 in the Pioneers' favor.

The tide turned well for the Sea Devils with 6:28 worth of time, the score was 49-48 until 30 seconds later when Sea Devil Tavares Speaks sank a basket to put CFCC ahead at 50-49.

The remainder of the game was tense as CFCC held a precarious lead as the teams traded points and free throws while the Sea Devils kept ahead only by as much as two points in the fifth and fourth minutes remaining in the game.

With less than four minutes remaining, SMC answered back to tie the score at 53-53 with both teams holding 10 fouls each. Each team scored from a free throw apiece to keep the tie going at 54-54.

With 2:18 left in the game, Sea Devil #23 Randell Jones hit a two-pointer to push CFCC ahead and break the tie.

Mario Pendarvis had missed two free throws for SMC and the chance to regain the Pioneers' lead with 2:12 left on the clock.

CFCC Tavares Speaks sank another basket to insure the Sea Devil lead at 58-54 with 1:40 on the clock.

Shortly afterwards, DJ Glover (Calhoun County HS) and DJ Brown each landed one free throw to make the score 56-58 in CFCC's favor.

With 7.4 seconds remaining on the clock, SMC was hit with an offensive foul, giving CFCC possession of the ball.

The Sea Devils made good use of it, added two free throws to their points from receiving fouls.

At the buzzer, the final score was 60-56 for the CFCC Sea Devil victory.

Spartanburg Methodist College has 14 intercollegiate teams that compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which includes colleges in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The College is in its 100th academic year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.
 
For more information please contact athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.