Charles’ Tip-in at Buzzer Drowns Dolphins

Riverdale, N.Y. – The Golden Eagles (6-16, 5-10 Skyline) finally found a way to separate themselves from their opponent in the final second of regulation as Darryl Charles (Middletown, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) tipped in an offensive rebound as time expired to defeat the Dolphins of Mount St. Vincent College (7-15, 5-10 Skyline), 50-49.

The Eagles spread the ball around early as their first four baskets were scored by four different players. They trailed 8-6 in the early going when the offense found it's rhythm as an 11-2 run put the Eagles up seven with just under eight minutes left in the half but the Dolphins came battling back with two straight three's by Antonio Johnson and a made free-throw tied the game at 17. Wade Richardson (Copiague, N.Y./Copiague) drilled a three-pointer to put the Eagles back in front but Johnson hit another long range shot to tie the game for Mount St. Vincent with two minutes to go in the half. The two teams were deadlocked at 20 as they entered the locker room for halftime.

The teams traded scores on the first four possessions of the second half and another three-pointer by Antonio Johnson gave the Dolphins their first lead since the first two minutes of the game. The Eagles regained the lead but Mount St. Vincent scored eight unanswered points to take a 35-29 lead. Charles took over for the Golden Eagles fighting his way to the rim every chance he got, drawing fouls and hitting his free throws. He brought his team back into the game and finally tied it back up at 42 with less than four minutes remaining. The Eagles grabbed a one-point lead on an Andy Laurent (Amityville, N.Y./Amityville) jumper and Charles drilled a shot from beyond-the-arc on the next possession to extend the lead to four but a Dolphins three with 54 seconds remaining evened up the game once again, this time at 48. The Eagles would seemingly fall just short after Antonio Johnson split a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining but Charles had other ideas. Nick Gallina (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) put up a jump-shot with two seconds remaining that hit the rim and bounced out but Charles got up and tipped in the ball as the buzzer sounded silencing the Mount St. Vincent crowd.

Charles finished with 20 points, 10 boards, and four steals and the freshman Laurent filled the stat sheet with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.