A jump shot by Oberlin’s Quinton Spencer with four seconds left in the contest proved to be the difference-maker Saturday afternoon, providing the Yeomen a 52-50 victory over Wabash. The Little Giant road loss was also the first North Coast Athletic Conference contest for either team.
The Little Giants tied the game at 50-50 with 19 seconds remaining on a Chase Haltom jumper from the right wing. After a timeout, Spencer drove to the middle of the court before working to the left side with the clock counting down and drained the eight-footer to put the Yeomen in front once again. Wabash set up its final play during a timeout, but an Oberlin defender disrupted a midcourt pass, knocking the basketball out of bounds with a second left on the game clock.
Haltom lofted a lob pass toward Andrew Zimmer and the Wabash basketball, but the pass sailed a bit too long and hit off the backboard to end the Little Giants’ chances to tie the game.
Wabash (1-4, 0-1 NCAC) took a 3-0 lead on a trey from freshman Aaron Brock, who earned his first start of the season. It would be the biggest lead – and one of the few – for the Little Giants in the game.
Oberlin (2-4, 1-0 NCAC) responded with a basket by Omari Hall and a three by Mike Loll, one of only three baskets made behind the arc for the Yeomen. Gary Simkus tied the game at 5-5 with his first basket of the game, then later gave Wabash its last lead at 11-10 with 11:32 left in the first half on a three-point shot. Oberlin then went on a 20-9 run to finish the half, taking a 30-20 lead into the locker room at the break.
Wabash trimmed the lead to six points midway through the second period on a Brock three-pointer, but saw opportunities slip away in the closing minutes. Four straight trips down the floor Wabash saw a shot roll off the side of the rim with a chance to cut into the Oberlin lead.
The Little Giants also stuggled at the free throw line in the closing minutes of the game, hitting only three out of nine charity tosses in the final five minutes. Wabash finished just 50 percent from the stripe, hitting 8-of-16.
Wabash lost its NCAC opener for only the second time since joining the league in 1999. The Little Giants dropped a 70-64 contest to Earlham College at the start of the 2000-01 NCAC season.
Zimmer and Haltom paced the Wabash scoring effort, each finishing with 11 points. Zimmer recorded his second career double-double, adding 12 rebounds to his totals for the day. Brock added 10 points. Spencer led both teams with 15 points. He also had 10 rebounds.
Wabash will play University of Cincinnati Clermont College in the second game of Pete Thorn Invitational Friday night at 8 p.m. at Chadwick Court. Marian College and Olivet Nazarene face off in the opening game at 6 p.m.
Photos - (top left) Freshman Aaron Brock grabs a rebound.
(bottom right) Andy Root scored this layup on a fast break to keep the Little Giants in striking distance.