FROM STAFF REPORTS

In a back-and-forth game, the University of Montevallo men’s basketball team made key plays late in the contest to pick up a 67-64 victory on the road at UNC-Pembroke in a Peach Belt Conference contest Jan. 25.

The Falcons (12-5 overall, 5-3 in Peach Belt Conference) were led by junior Antoine Davis, who had 17 points, four steals and four rebounds.

Junior Tyrell Coleman chipped in 14 points, five assists and five rebounds. Coleman was also one of two Falcons to hit three 3-pointers.

Sophomore Jonas Brown had 10 points, including three shots from long range. Junior Miles Beatty added 10 points as well.

Junior DeMarcus Catchings came up just shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Catchings was also key down the stretch for the Falcons as he hit 5-of-6 attempts from the free-throw line.

From the opening tip it was a battle as neither team was able to establish much of a lead. Montevallo had the largest lead of the first half at the 2:43 mark as the Falcons led 31-23, but the Braves battled back late in the half to go into halftime down 33-31.

After the Braves hit a layup on the opening possession of the second half, the Falcons went on a 14-5 run to take a 47-38 lead with 16:40 remaining. The Braves immediately answered with a 9-0 run to tie the game at 47-47.

With 3:40 left in the game and the Braves up by four points, Beatty drove to the basket and hit a layup to cut the lead to just two points. On the next possession, Davis jumped a Braves’ passing lane and took the ball coast-to-coast for a wide open layup to tie the game at 62-62 with 3:21 left in the game.

After a Braves’ turnover and a missed 3-pointer by the Falcons, UNC-Pembroke’s K.J. Cooper launched a 3-pointer that ricocheted off the rim and into the hands of Catchings.

Catchings was fouled on the rebound and was sent to the line for a one-and-one. Catchings hit the first and then was called for a lane violation on the second attempt. The Braves were unable to convert on their next possession and the Falcons fed the ball to Catchings in the post, where he was promptly fouled. Catchings hit both of his free throws to push the Falcons’ lead to three points.

After a couple of empty possessions, the Braves’ Chris Hargrove tipped in a missed 3-pointer to cut the Falcons’ lead to one point. The Falcons inbounded the ball and were fouled with 21 seconds, but Montevallo was unable to convert on either of its free-throw attempts and gave the Braves the ball with a chance for a last-second shot.

UNC-Pembroke called a timeout and set up its play. The Braves inbounded the ball with eight seconds left on the clock, but the quick hands of Beatty paid off as he made a steal and was fouled. Beatty stepped up to the line and knocked down both of his free throws to extend the Falcons’ lead to three points.

The Braves were able to get off a shot with one second remaining, but it bounced off the front of the rim sealing the Falcons’ victory.