The Details
Final Score: [OT] Riverhawks 91, Howard Community College Dragons 89
Updated Records: AACC 1-5 overall, 1-1 conference. Dragons 3-3 overall, 2-2 conference
Location: Anne Arundel Community College – Arnold, MD
Box Score: Found here
Media Gallery: Photos found here (added soon)
Game Notes
Hosting Howard Community College this evening (11/29), the AACC Riverhawks earned their first win of the season in thrilling fashion – defeating the NJCAA DII Region XX Dragons, 91-89, in overtime.
Leading off with a deep 3-point shot, the Dragons were able to maintain a slight advantage over the Riverhawks during the early minutes of the first half. Nipping at their heels, Damir Mahmutagic (Tisanj, Bosnia/Bowie) would grab the 11-10 lead for the Riverhawks on a short pull up jumper, assisted by Miles Dobson (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills). Quick to respond, Howard would regain the lead and slowly start to pull away, scoring 8 unanswered points.
As the back and forth continued, the Riverhawks would fight to regain the lead and thanks to some quick buckets by Jacoby Rojas (San Angelo, TX/Northeast), Zavion Spence (Glen Burnie, MD/North County), and Terry Kenner (Glenn Dale, MD/DuVal), AACC would head into the locker room leading 36-33 at half.
Howard was quickly able to turn things around in the second half, jumping on AACC's mistakes and finishing on fast breaks. The two MD JUCO Conference teams soon found themselves trading off for the lead with the minutes winding down. Capitalizing at the free throw line, the Dragons of Howard found themselves with a 4-point lead with just 20 seconds remaining.
A Howard foul would send Mahmutagic to the line where he would finish on one, cutting the Dragon lead to 3 with 17 seconds remaining. Two missed free throws from Howard with a big defensive rebound by Clinton Smith (Glen Burnie, MD/Old Mill) would give the Riverhawks 9 seconds to inbound the ball and make one last effort to tie the game.
In bounding the ball on the offensive end, AACC would move the perimeter before the quick hands of Miles Dobson would find Kenner who finished on a deep 3-point shot that would tie the game up at 76 with just 3 seconds remaining. The Dragons would miss on a hail mary shot from behind half court and the game would be sent to over time.
Overtime would kick off in favor of the Riverhawks as Rojas and Smith would grab the early 4-point lead. Just as the night has gone, the two teams quickly found themselves fighting to jump on top. Tied at 89, AACC would have 24 seconds to try and make something happen.
Struggling to get any penetration inside, AACC would let the clock dwindle down to the last remaining seconds before Kenner would make a move on his own and pull up for a quick jump shot. Finding the net, Kenner would grab the 91-89 lead over Howard with just 4 seconds remaining. Unable to get a shot off, the game would end 91-89 in favor of the Riverhawks.
Terry Kenner would finish with 23 points on the night, followed by Rojas with 21 points, and Clinton Smith who would earn a double-double on the night with his 19 points and 16 rebounds.
With 11 ties and 16 lead changes, the Riverhawks proudly take their hard-fought win.
Up Next
The Riverhawks next match-up will be this Saturday (12/2) – playing host to the NJCAA DIII Region 10 Storm of Davidson County Community College. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 pm in the Jenkins Gymnasium at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD.
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