GRAYSLAKE, IL – The Bay College Men's Basketball Team (8-1) came out on top of a closely contested contest at The College of Lake County (8-5) on Sunday evening. Despite the intense, back-and-forth nature of the game, Bay was able to come out on top by a final score of 60-53.
The game featured seven ties and nine lead changes as neither team could get an advantage in the early going. Points were hard to come by in the early going as the two defenses frustrated their opponents. The College of Lake County shot 40.7% in the first half and hit a pair of three-pointers on six attempts, helping them grab a five-point lead late in the first half.
The Norse would answer with some sharp shooting of their own. Lamar Grayson (SO, Richfield, MN) knocked down a shot from behind the arc, and the Norse split a pair of free throws on the next possession to pull to within one. Moments later Bay snatched the lead bask as Tyrel Creger (FR, Owatonna, MN) drilled a triple of his own. The visiting team would hold the lead for the rest of the half, and take a 29-27 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The two teams continued to duke it out in the second half. The teams were locked at 36 with just over 16 minutes to play when both offenses went silent. It would be over three minutes in game time before one of the two teams would take advantage. It was Jaylen Flaniken (SO, Troy, MI) who broke the silence with a jumper, and Jacquez Overstreet (SO, Appleton, WI) followed with a three-pointer on the next possession.
Meanwhile the Norse defense continued to frustrate their host. The Lancers ended up going over six minutes without scoring. Bay's offense was able to build an eight-point lead during that scoring drought and extended their lead to 11 shortly after.
With their back against the proverbial wall, The College of Lake County turned to Marcus Antonie (FR, Deltona, FL) and he delivered. The Lancers defense stepped up and quieted their guest over the next three minutes. During that period Antonie hit a pair of free throws and the baskets on three consecutive possessions. Suddenly it was back to a three-point game with time winding down.
Grayson connected on a jumper to give Bay a multiple possession lead. The Lancers lost their momentum with a missed shot followed by turnovers on back-to-back possessions. With under two-minutes to play Flaniken finished at the rim. The Lancers committed an offensive foul on the next play, and Flaniken delivered the decisive blow, a three-pointer with just over a minute left put Bay up by ten.
The Lancers ended up getting a triple from Justin St. Louis (FR, Vernon Hills, IL) on the next possession, but it wasn't enough, as Bay escaped with the seven-point win on the road.
Randal Holm (FR, Volo, IL), Lake County's leading scorer coming into the game, was held scoreless in the second half.
Grayson paced the Norse with 15 points. Flaniken contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Creger hit two three-pointers and also had 14 points. Genesis Kemp (FR, Grand Rapids, MI) grabbed 11 rebounds.
St. Louis led the Lancers with 15 points and five rebounds. Antonie used his big second half stretch to score 12 points and grab five rebounds on the game.
The Norse head north to Milwaukee for a Monday evening tilt against The Stormers of Milwaukee Area Tech. MATC is currently ranked third in the NJCAA Division II Basketball Rankings. That game will tip at 8 pm.