Grier bails out Golden Bears
Box Score Sometimes, good shooters can have a difficult time getting any shots to fall but, in a flash, can heat up and carry their teams to victory.
Maiscei Grier was just that shooter Saturday afternoon for Miles. With less than two minutes left, Grier scored seven of his 10 points in a span of 40 seconds to erase a 3-point deficit and push the Golden Bears to an 88-81 win over Lane at Knox-Windham Gymnasium. After squandering a 12-point lead in the second half, the win helped Miles (9-9, 7-2 SIAC) split a four-game homestand.
Lane (11-9, 7-3) held a 78-73 lead with 2:35 remaining before the Golden Bears went to work.
Eric Halliwell's bucket cut into the lead before Grier caught fire. First, he drained a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game at 78 with 1:44 left. Then, after a Dragons miss, Grier came down again and hit a deep triple a shade to the left of the top of the arc. He was fouled as the basket swished through and, after completing the four-point play, Miles held an 82-78 advantage with 1:04 to go.
Joshua Johnson (nine points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals) scored on Miles' next possession to expand the lead but Lane continued to charge, getting a deep 3-pointer from Maurice Alexander with 22 seconds left to cut the deficit to 84-81. But Johnson and
E. Reginald Smalls (15 points) knocked down four free throws to secure the victory.
Miles looked like it would cruise to a win early in the second half. A jumper by
Carl Garcia gave the Golden Bears a 58-48 lead less than five minutes into the period. Two minutes later, a jumper by Smalls gave Miles its biggest lead at 65-52 and Lane did not look capable of putting up a fight. Still down by 10 with nine minutes left, the Dragons made their run. They held the Golden Bears without a basket for more than six minutes and used a 17-1 run to take a five point lead before Miles closed the game out.
Terrance Bridgman scored 19 points and Alexander added 16 for Lane. Joshua Samuels scored a game-high 21 and Halliwell had 11 points and nine rebounds for Miles, which plays at Paine on Monday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.Â
