Box Score Wabash nearly erased an 18-point second half deficit Tuesday evening in the opening round of the 2013 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. This time the Little Giants could find a last-second miracle, losing 77-72 at Kenyon to bring an end to the season.
Ross Sponsler hit another big three for Wabash with seven seconds left in regulation against the third-seeded Lords to make it a 75-72 game three days after sending the Little Giants into overtime with a triple against Oberlin. Wabash was forced to foul with four seconds left, sending Jonathan Amador to the line. A 65-percent free throw shooter on the season, Amador calmly drained both free throws to put the game away and send Kenyon to semifinals Friday night.
Wabash, the sixth-seeded team in the tournament, never led in the contest. The LIttle Giants fell behind 5-0 before
Andy Walsh nailed the first of his four three-point baskets. Kenyon stretched its lead to nine points before
Daniel Purvlicis and
Pete Nicksic scored back-to-back baskets to trim the advantage to five. The Little Giants held Kenyon scoreless over the final 4:45 of the first half, eventually cut the lead to three points at halftime thanks to drive and wide-open layup by
Houston Hodges to close out the period.
The Lords got off to another good start in the second half, pushing the advantage to 17 points in the first seven minutes with a 18-4 run. Brian Lebowitz, who scored 13 points in the first period, was joined offensively by Ikenna Nwadibia in the second period. The duo produced 21 of Kenyon's 45 second-half points Lebowitz finished with 22 points and 12 boards, while Nwadibia scored 14 points.
Despite the big lead by Kenyon, Wabash continued to fight back into the contest. Twice the Little Giants cut the advantage to 11 points before final making it a single-digit lead on three free throws by Walsh with 1:53 left to play. Nicksic blocked a Kenyon layup at the other end, leading a putback tipin by Purvlicis to make it a five-point contest with 1:21 left to play. Wabash was forced to foul in the closing minute, and Lebowitz connected on two tries to stretch the lead back to seven points. Purvlicis cut the lead back to five points with another basket with 18 seconds left, forcing Wabash to foul again quickly to stop the clock. This time Lebowitz hit one of two tries, setting up the final Sponsler triple and free throws by Amador to close out the contest.
Sponsler led Wabash in scoring with 17 points. Walsh hit four three-pointers on the way to a 15-point night. Nicksic and Purvlicis each added 14 points.
The Little Giants finished the season with a record of 9-17.
