TIGERVILLE, S.C. - Junior guard Stevie Williams (High Point, N.C.) poured in a game-high 31 points and four assists, as the Brevard College Tornados Men's Basketball team (0-4) was unable to overcome a 12-point North Greenville Crusaders (4-0) second half edge, falling by a final of 87-74 Saturday afternoon in Tigerville, S.C.
Williams game-high 31 points marked the juniors highest single-game tally during his three year stint in the blue and white. The High Point, N.C. native finished a remarkable 12-16 from the floor and a perfect four of four from behind the arch. Junior Evan Dunham (Marietta, Ga.) also posted double-digit points, finishing four of nine on the afternoon, three for six from behind the arch for 13 points. While freshman Jakob Bergen (Winston Salem, N.C.) and JaMarguis Johnson (Minneola, Fla.) each turned in solid performances on the road for the Tornados, Bergen finished the event three of four from behind the three-point line for nine points, adding a team-high four rebounds in 22 minutes, while Johnson added five points in 21 minutes of action.
Saturday's showdown with the Crusaders featured six ties and eight lead changes, six of which came in a highly contested first half, as both squads came out hot from behind the three-point line. North Greenville would convert on their three of four early three-point attempts, while the Tornados would add back-to-back three-point baskets by senior Omar El Diraoui (Beirut, Lebanon) and Dunham, while a jumper by Williams and a layup by junior D.J. Bostick (Marietta, Ga.), put Brevard up 10-9 at the first media timeout. The Crusaders would regain the lead following the first media, going up 14-11 over the Tornados, before going up by as much as 26-19 with 6:13 remaining in the opening half. Brevard, however, would close out the half on a 13-6 run to trail North Greenville 33-32 heading into the break.
The Tornados would strike first to begin the second half as El Diraoui hit is second three-point basket for the game, while Bostick found net from behind the arch on the Tornados next offensive possession to give the blue and white a slight 38-35 lead. However, the Crusaders would use a 14-4 run just before the 12-minute media timeout to open up a 13-point advantage. Brevard would battle back the entire second half, trimming the Crusaders lead down to five-points, but were unable to overcome the early second half run as North Greenville continued to convert from the free throw line, finishing 21-27 for the second half, as the line proved to be the difference in the contest for both squads.
Brevard will look to pick up their first win of the 2016-17 season as they host the Tusculum College Pioneers Tuesday, November 22 at 8 p.m. in the opening South Atlantic Conference tip of the year.
