Connor Vinson's FT - in overtime - lifts Golden Falcons past Saints

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 18, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Connor Vinson watched her Charles B. Aycock teammates battle for a rebound underneath the Southern Wayne basket.

Moments later, Taylor Daniels snared the ball and tossed it downcourt to a wide-open Vinson. The junior drove to the basket, drew a foul and stepped to the free throw line.

11.1 seconds remained in overtime.

"I was nervous, for one. I was thinking I need to make at least one to go up. If I make two, that's great, but I need to at least make one," Vinson said.

Her first attempt hit nothing but net.

"When I made the first one, I was so excited," Vinson said.

The second shot popped out of the basket, the Saints grabbed the rebound and raced back downcourt. But they missed their final shot and the Golden Falcons held on for a 45-44 win in their Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference opener Thursday evening.

Vinson finished with three points -- all from the free throw line.

Division I recruit Zaria Atkins drained a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Southern Wayne (3-6 overall, 0-2 ECC) its biggest lead, 37-27, after three quarters.

Aycock answered with a 13-3 run, capped by Tamika Powell's game-tying 3-pointer with 3:32 left in regulation. The Golden Falcons held the ball the final 2-plus minutes of the game, but missed a short jumper in the paint as time expired.

The Saints pushed in front 44-40 in overtime as Atkins dished off basket-scoring assists to Iyahna Bess and Alexus Elliott. Again, the Golden Falcons (6-3, 1-0) responded with two consecutive field goals -- one each by Powell and Daniels.

"That was good," Vinson said of clutch layups by Powell and Daniels within a half minute of each other in the extra session.

Seconds later, Vinson sealed Aycock's third home win of the season. Daniels paced the Golden Falcons' offense with 15 points, while Daniels chipped in 12. Each played the entire second half with four fouls.

Atkins dropped in 24.

Saints head coach Ricky Lofton said that his team didn't execute down the stretch and that Aycock wanted the game more than his team did.

Officials called 42 fouls on the night. The teams combined to shoot 23 of 50 from the free throw stripe.