Wichita Standard

Men's Basketball Falcons Charge Back For Ot Win At Bethany

The Friends University Falcons battled back from a double-digit deficit to win 87-84 in overtime over the Bethany College Swedes in KCAC action (Jan. 14) in Lindsborg, Kan.

Trailing by as many as 15 in the first half and nine at intermission, the Falcons mounted an early charge in the second half behind three treys from Ian Konek (SR/Long Beach, Calif.) to shave the deficit to just one at the 13:46 mark.

The Swedes then turned around and got threes from Justin Brookens and Dylan Smith that jumpstarted a 13-2 push to take a double-digit lead again of 67-55 with 9:28 remaining.

The Falcons got right back in it and then some on the strength of threes by Eastyn Ruffin (SO/Wichita, Kan. ), Al Emerllahu (FR/San Antonio, Texas) and Konek that sparked a 13-4 spurt for their first lead since the 17:06 mark of the first half.

Another three by Brooks provided a prompt answer and put the Swedes back in front with 4:49 left in regulation.

With the score even at 74 apiece, two free throws by Josh Smith gave the Swedes the lead again and a bucket by Brookens made it a four-point game with 1:23 left.

But a key point in the game immediately followed, as Brookens was whistled for a technical foul that allowed Drew Patterson (SO/Charlotte, NC) to hit two free throws to make it a one-possession game.

Tim Barbieri (JR/Abilene,Kan. ) then got free inside for the game-tying bucket with under a minute left.

That would be all the scoring in regulation, with the Falcons getting a defensive stop on the Swedes' last possession to force the overtime session.

Once in the extra period, Barbieri came up huge with a pair of scores inside to help the Falcons score the first five points.

The Falcons still had to hang on when a three-point play by Malcolm Clayton brought the Swedes within 83-81 with still 1:36 on the clock.

Donovan Newton then had a chance to tie the score, but split a pair at the charity stripe to leave the Falcons still up by one at the 1:05 mark.

Following an empty possession by the Falcons, the Swedes had an opportunity to take the lead, but the Falcons forced a miss by Newton.

Patterson and Konek then each hit two crucial free throws over the final nine seconds and a final heave by Brookens was off the mark as the Falcons staved off the Swedes for the victory.

"The resilience our guys showed tonight was awesome," said Friends men's basketball head coach Austin McBeth. "Bethany is such a talented team, and our guys hung in there and never quit. We showed some big time grit down the stretch, and I'm very proud of our guys."

Konek led five Falcons in double-figures with 19 points, while Emerllahu had a double-double of 16 points and a career-high tying 12 rebounds. Steve Staco (SO/Orlando, Fla.) scored 15 and Barbieri finished with 15 points and nine boards. Ruffin chipped in with 11 points, with Patterson dishing out a team-high and season-best seven assists for the Falcons (4-14, 3-9 KCAC).

Brookens paced the Swedes (9-9, 5-7 KCAC) with 22 points and seven assists, with Clayton scoring 16 along with a team-leading nine boards. Solomon Clayton added 15 and Dylan Smith also scored in double-figures with 11 points.

As a team, the Falcons outrebounded the Swedes 40-35 overall.

Original source can be found here.