The NMHU Cowboys lost an exciting double overtime game 106-98 to Adams State College in the RMAC Shootout Quarterfinals in Alamosa, Colo. The game was a physical affair for the first half and the Cowboys struggled to a four point deficit at the half. The Cowboys then bounced back and controlled the game for much of the second half until the Grizzlies were able to mount a comeback in the final minutes and taking the lead until the Cowboys'
Chris Newsome made one of his two free throw shots with just four tenths of a second on the clock to send the game into overtime. The Cowboys had the momentum and led for much of the first overtime and were up by three with just seconds to go when the Grizzlies' Shayar Lee made an unlikely three point shot to force double overtime. The Cowboys struggled in the second overtime after losing two of their top scorers to foul trouble allowing Adams State to come away with a victory. With their loss to the Grizzlies the Cowboys, led by Head Coach Joe Harge, fall to a 19-8 overall record and are eliminated from the RMAC Shootout but may yet have post season life.
Momcilo Latinovic was the leading scorer in the game for the Cowboys with 17 points. Latinovic would add eight rebounds, one steal, one assist and one blocked shot in 38 minutes of playing time. He shot 50% from both field goal and three point ranges going 6-12 and 2-4 respectively.
Mindaugas Markevicius and
Chris Newsome rounded out the Cowboys top scorers with 16 points apiece. Markevicius added four steals, two assists, and two steals to his tally in 28 minutes on the court. Markevicius shot an outstanding 86% from the free throw line making 12 of his 14 attempts from the charity stripe. Newsome shot 8-13 from the free throw line and 4-7 from the field to score his 16 points. Newsome played 26 minutes in the game adding eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals to the Cowboys' efforts.
Both NMHU and Adams State started the game with a high intensity in an fierce post season battle. The game went back and forth for the first seven minutes before the Grizzlies took control of the first half with a jump shot with 12:46 remaining in the half. Adams State extended their lead to five points but the Cowboys stormed back to cut the lead to one when Markevicius stole the ball and hit a jumper at the 10:05 mark of the first half. The Grizzlies continued to apply pressure and a three point shot by Shayar Lee increased their lead to seven points with 7:04 left in the half. The Cowboys fought back and a block by
Derek Freeman was converted at the other end into a three pointer by
Thomas Manzano with 4:22 left to tie the game up. The Cowboys briefly took the lead by two when Freeman made a jump shot after a
Ryan Daniels steal. But the Grizzlies would take back the lead and the teams went into the locker room with Adams State in the lead by four points, 42-38.
After the break the Cowboys'
Chris Newsome struck first with a layup to cut the lead to two just nine seconds into the second half. Adams State responded to regain the four point lead but the Cowboys continued to battle and were able to take the lead by one after Markevicius sank two free throw shots with 18:10 remaining in the half. The Grizzlies responded with a layup to regain a one point lead but NMHU came down the court and a dunk by Freeman gave them the lead as they began to control the second half of play. The Cowboys capitalized on missed shots by Adams State and began to extend their lead in the game.
Ryan Gonzales hit a three pointere at the 14:12 mark of the second half to put the Cowboys up by 11. The Grizzlies fought back and a pair of three pointers by Deray Wilson cut the Cowboys' lead to three points with 12:05 remaining in the half. But the Cowboys continued to maintain control and a free throw shot by
Derek Freeman gave the Cowboys an eight point lead with just 2:45 to go. Unfortunately for the Cowboys' star
Thomas Manzano, who was in foul trouble early, fouled out of the game just 12 seconds later.
The Grizzlies gained the momentum and Marquis Richards converted two free throw shots to cut the Cowboys' lead to one with just 1:35 left in the half. Both teams' defenses played well in the final minute and the Grizzlies Deray Wilson made two free throws with just six seconds left to put Adams State up by one point. The Grizzlies Jack Osborn fouled out of the game and put NMHU's
Chris Newsome on the line with a mere four tenths of a second left on the clock. Newsome was able to convert one of his two attempts from the charity stripe and the game was headed for overtime.
The Cowboys seemed to be in control of the game in the first overtime and took a five point lead when
Ryan Gonzales hit a three point shot with just 53 seconds remaining in the first overtime. But the Grizzlies fought back with a layup off the fast break and two good free throw shots cut the Cowboys' lead to one. The Cowboys were able to maintain control and extended the lead to three when
Ryan Daniels made both free throws with just eight seconds to go. The Grizzlies stormed down the court and Shayar Lee hit a game saving three point shot at the buzzer to send the game into double overtime.
The Cowboys started out the second overtime well when
Mindaugas Markevicius free throw shots gave them a two point lead. But the trouble began for the Cowboys when
Momcilo Latinovic fouled out of the game with 4:35 remaining in the second overtime. The struggles continued for the Cowboys when Markevicius fouled out of the game just 30 seconds later. The Grizzlies' Marquis Richards tied the game up by making one of this two free throw attempts and Adams State regained the lead after Richards made a layup off a missed three pointer by the Cowboys with 3:05 remaining in the game. The Grizzlies would not look back and without their offensive leaders the Cowboys were unable to answer back as the Grizzlies began to pull away. When the buzzer finally ended the exciting game Adams State had secured the victory by eight points 106-98, advancing into the semi-finals of the RMAC Shootout.
NMHU and Adams State played one of the most exciting games of the season in the RMAC Shootout Quarterfinals in this double overtime thriller. The Cowboys still have hopes to continue post season play but their fate rests in the hands of the regional selection committee. Keep on checking
www.nmhucowboys.com for updated information on your Cowboys post-season possibilities.
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GO COWBOYS!!!
