IRONWOOD, MI - The Bay College Norse (13-8) lost a heartbreaker in triple overtime on Wednesday night. It was their first encounter with Upper Penninsula rival Gogebic Community College (12-7). The Samsons would finally seal a 96-89 victory on their home court.
The game was close all night long, with the Norse taking their biggest lead, 49-41, after Jace Briggs (FR, Bark River, I) connected with a jump shot and Alfonzo Fields (FR, Milwaukee, WI) added a basket and foul shot. The Samsons, despite the fact they had a game on the road in Hibbing, Minnesota the night before, kept battling back. Trevor Cook (Washburn, WI) would cut to the basket and made a basket and get fouled, giving GCC a 64-59 lead.
Bay College scored the next five points to tie the game at 64, as Kobi Barnes (FR, Milwaukee, WI) and Dre Tuominen (FR, Negaunee, MI) scored and the Norse played well on the defensive end. The Norse shot just 51 percent (13 for 25), and that included key misses down the stretch, allowing the Samsons to stay in the game and force overtime.
In the first overtime, Marcus McKenney (FR, Menominee, MI) started things with a pull-up jumper, and Barnes and Tuominen both scored baskets. Bay led, 74-71, when the Samsons got a big shot from Cook with five seconds left in overtime to tie the game once again.
The Norse again had the lead in the second overtime period, 81-77, after Tuoinen drove to the basket and scored. Gogebic would respond again, this time it was Garfield Voker (Racine, WI) who not only hit the basket, but drew Barnes' fifth personal foul, with 1:27 left in the period. Voker's free throw, plus the two he would make on the next possession, would give the host team a one point lead. Bay would have a chance to win it, but a foul sent them to the line, and the Norse would only hit one of the two attempts, sending the game into a third overtime period.
Barnes' departure would alter the Samsons' offense, as they would attack the rim in the third overtime. GCC would sink all eight attempts from the charity stripe in the final overtime, and pull away with the seven-point victory.
Cook would lead all scorers with 27, while Voker would add 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists for Gogebic.
Touminen would lead the Norse with 22 points and seven rebounds. After a slow start, Barnes would have a big effort, scoring 17 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and blocking eight shots. Tyler Willette (FR, Escanaba, MI) would end with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Fields would add 14 points and McKenney would score 13.
The Norse take to the road again on Wednesday, January 31st when they take on UW Manitowoc. That game is scheduled for a 7:30 PM EST start.