MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. –
Gedi Juozapaitis scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds as Flagler College defeated Georgia College 98-96 in overtime in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Thursday afternoon at the Centennial Center.
"This was a gutsy win for our young men," said head coach Char Warner. "I am really proud of our grit to find a way. Road wins in the PBC are tough to come by. We will enjoy it!"
Juozapaitis scored seven of Flagler's (5-4, 1-0 PBC) 16 points in the extra session. He scored the last four points in regulation to force overtime and his basket with 3:26 left gave the Saints a lead (87-85) they would not relinquish.
Jordan Thomas sank a 3-pointer for Georgia College (4-6, 1-1) with 13 seconds left to close the deficit to one (97-96) with seven-tenths of a second left.
Logan Swackhammer was fouled before the ball was put in play and he sank the first of two free throws. A desperation heave at the buzzer by the Bobcats came up short.
The last time a Flagler player had 22 or more rebounds was Jan. 10, 2006 when Ben De La Cruz grabbed 22 boards at Johnson & Wales University of North Miami.
Allante Pickens added 21 points while
Chris Metzger contributed 16 points and five rebounds. Swackhammer finished with a career-high 16 points and six assists.
Derrick Ellis, Jr. came off the bench to provide 12 points and eight assists.
Damerit Brown chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Flagler held a 49-37 lead at the half thanks to making 10-of-21 three-pointers and the Saints shot 57.6 percent from the field in the first half.
Thomas poured in a game-high 37 points for the Bobcats. He made 10-of-12 from behind the arc. Wesley Simpson added 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assist while Justin Cave came off the bench to tack on 15 points.
Georgia College did not make a field goal and was out-scored 8-1 in the last 6-minutes, 51-seconds of the second half.
Flagler completes its road trip Saturday at Augusta University at 3:30 p.m.
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