KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Kingsville triple overtime thriller against Lone Star Conference rival A&M-Commerce had a little bit of everything with monster dunks, last second shots, multiple comebacks and most importantly a Javelina win on Saturday, 104-94 at Kingsville Hampton Inn Court in men’s basketball action.

The game was a back and forth affair that had 11 ties and 12 lead changes.  Each team had multiple chances to win the game, but the Javelinas (9-13, 4-9) were able to outlast the Lions (7-14, 2-11) in a game that featured 165 field goal attempts and 65 three-point attempts.

In regulation, the Lions held a 60-52 lead with 8:41 remaining after a Desmond King lay-up.  The scored remained that way for the until Ashton Brown (Randolph, NY/Central HS) made two free throws with 7:00 remaining to start a Hoggie run.  The Javelinas would score nine straight points to take a lead, but the Lions would come right with two buckets of their own. 

The Lions held a three-point lead with a minute to play when Ryan Layssard (Opelousas, LA/Opelousas HS) made a twisting lay-up followed by Brown stealing the in-bounds pass and eventually hitting a jumper with 44 seconds left in regulation.  Brown would give the Javelinas a three-point lead after making two free throws with 21 seconds left, but AMC’s Brad Hambrick was able to send the game to overtime with an off-balance three-pointer with 1.9 seconds remaining from the left wing.

The Javelinas started out quickly in the first overtime scoring on a dunk by Marshall Bonds (Little Rock, AR/Mills HS) on the first possession and built up a six-point lead.  Once again, the Lions were able to make a comeback and they would tie the game with 24 seconds left on an Andrew Davis three-pointer from the top of the key.  Brown’s potential game-winning jumper rimmed out at the buzzer.

In the second overtime it was the Lions jumping out to a six-point lead.  They held the Javelinas scoreless until Layssard hit back-to-back three-pointers with 1:33 and 54 seconds remaining to pull the Hogs to within 88-86.  After a turnover by the Lions, Reid Wallace (Spring/Tomball HS) put the Javs ahead with a triple with 19 seconds remaining.  The Lions had a chance to win the game when Esteban Arriola was fouled with 11 seconds left, but he could only make 1-of-2 free throws.  Once again, Brown’s potential game-winner was just off the mark for the Javelinas.

Finally, the Javelinas were able to put the game away in the third overtime.  After briefly falling behind 92-91 on a Hambrick three-pointer, the Hogs scored the next nine points in the game and were able to salt the game away at the foul line.

The Javelinas shot 43.5 percent from the field, made 12-of-39 three-point attempts and were 18-for-21 at the foul line.  The 39 three-point attempts tied a school record.  Brown led the team with 29 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals and his backcourt mate, Layssard, was just as good with 18 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.  Wallace finished with a career-high 22 points, six boards and two blocks.  Bonds added 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals while tying a school-record with six blocks.  Freshman Raymond Robinson added 10 points and six rebounds.  The team had 47 rebounds, 23 assists and only 14 turnovers in 55 minutes of action.

The Lions shot 40.0 percent from the field, made 13-of-26 from three-point range and were 17-for-28 at the foul line.  Six different players scored in double figures led by Hambrick’s 21 points and five rebounds.  Davis had a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards as did Preston Whitley who had 16 points and 11 rebounds off the bench before picking up a pair of technical fouls.  They had 59 rebounds, 19 assists and committed 24 turnovers.  Hambrick led all players with 51 minutes of action.

The two teams will lace it up against each other again on Monday in Commerce at 8 p.m.  The game can be watched online at Fox Sports Southwest.
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