EMORY, Va. – The King University men's basketball team fought back numerous times on Thursday night at Emory & Henry College.
Mikhail Pocknett paced the Tornado in the double overtime affair with 33 points, 31 coming after halftime. However, it wasn't enough as the Wasps knocked down a late triple and closed out the 98-94 win at the free throw line.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Emory & Henry 98, King 94 (2OT)
LOCATION: John Rutledge King Center; Emory, Va.
RECORDS: King 0-3; Emory & Henry 1-2
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- The first half was tight with six lead changes and seven ties.
- Eli Elston gave King an early lead at 9-8 with a triple, but the Wasps responded with a trifecta of their own.
- Emory & Henry scored seven straight points to break a tie and grab their largest lead of the half at 28-21 with six minutes remaining, but the Tornado made a run before the break.
- Trailing by six, the Tornado went on a 9-0 run, started by a pair of Jordan Akal free throws.
- Akal followed with a layup before a Cam George layup evened the score at 32.
- On the next possession, Akal drilled a three-point basket to give King a 35-32 lead before a Wasp triple.
- The teams then traded baskets to head into the locker room even at 37.
Second Half
- Amarius Beasley made the first basket of the second half, but the Wasps came back with a 13-2 run to take a 50-41 lead five minutes into the half.
- Pocknett then took over for the Tornado, scoring 10 straight points, the first nine evened the score at 50.
- Dami Farinloye then drilled a triple that gave King a 54-52 lead with nine minutes remaining.
- Emory & Henry then stretched their lead back to seven points twice, the second time at 71-64 with three minutes remaining before the Tornado closed regulation on a run.
- Pocknett scored back-to-back baskets before a Beasley free throw and jump shot evened the score at 71 with 32 seconds remaining.
- Neither team was able to score down the stretch, sending the game to overtime.
First Overtime
- After the Wasps scored the first four points of the extra session, George drilled a three-point basket and Akal made a layup off of a Beasley steal to give the Tornado a 76-75 lead.
- King held an 82-79 advantage after a pair of Pocknell baskets and a Satchel Love free throw.
- However, the Wasps connected on a triple and a pair of free throws to regain am 84-82.
- Pocknett converted a layup with 11 seconds remaining that evened the score at 84 and sent the contest to a second overtime.
Second Overtime
- The teams went back-and-forth in the early going as the Wasps held a 92-90 lead with two minutes remaining.
- A pair of Pocknell free throws evened the score at 92 before Emory & Henry took a 95-92 lead with a Jacob Dar triple with 51 seconds remaining.
- The Wasps then iced the 98-94 win at the free throw line.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Pocknett led the Tornado with 33 points and five rebounds.
- Akal followed with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists.
- Beasley and Love chipped in with nine points apiece with Love snaring 10 rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- Gabe Brown and Dar led the Wasps with 22 points apiece with Brown grabbing nine rebounds.
- Omari Curley and Jalen Leftwich followed with 16 and 11 points, respectively. Leftwich added 13 assists.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The last time King played a double overtime game was on February 5, 2020, a 106-104 win at Erskine College.
- Pocknett set a career-high with 33 points, and Love grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT
- King returns to the court on Monday at Carolina University. Tipoff from Winston-Salem, N.C. is slated for 7:00 p.m.
- Emory & Henry travels to Charleston, S.C. to face Barry University on Saturday.
