FREDERICK, MD – A late basket by Frederick Community College thwarted a comeback attempt by the Anne Arundel Community College men's basketball team, as the Cougars held on to win, 62-59, Saturday afternoon in Region 20 action. The Riverhawks overcame an eight-point deficit at halftime and led by as many as six points in the second half.
Jeremiah Stroman led the Riverhawks with 18 points off the bench on 6-of-11 shooting. Stroman hit four of six three-pointers in his first game back since November 15 when he suffered an injury.
Truth Norton (12 points) and Marquis James (11 points) also scored in double figures, with Norton adding eight boards and James corralling seven. Messiah Anderson was key on defense with nine rebounds (7 defensive), three steals, and a block.
After trailing early in the first half, a Stroman three-pointer knotted the game at 13-all just before the midway point. The Cougars used an 11-2 run later in the half to extend the lead to their largest, 27-19, at the 5:58 mark.
Back-to-back treys from Stroman brought AACC back within one with just over three minutes to play, but and and-one play from Frederick edged the lead back to four and the Cougars held AACC to one make from the floor in the remainder of the half.
The Riverhawks opened the second half on a 9-2 run, and tied the game at 41-41 on a Chris Thomas three-pointer less than four minutes into the frame. A steal and bucket from James on the next possession put AACC back in the lead, 43-41, at the 15:39 mark.
The teams traded points back and forth for most of the remainder of the half, with Frederick getting as close as three points until with four-and-a-half to go, Malik Witherspoon made a pair of free throws to get within tow, and then tied it up at 57-all off a Riverhawks' turnover with 3:05 left to play.
Witherspoon edged Frederick ahead by two with less than two minutes to play before Stroman tied it up with a jumper. He stole the ball on the Cougars' next possession, but the Riverhawks could not convert it to points.
AACC successfully defended a pair of three-point attempts on the other end, but a costly foul sent FCC's Treshawn Warren to the line for two with just three seconds left. Warren missed the first, but sank the second for a 60-59 lead. Another Riverhawks foul with 0.3 seconds left granted Witherspoon two more freebies.
Frederick held a 46-40 rebounding advantage in the game, however AACC held its own on the defensive glass with a 30-26 margin. The Riverhawks generated 16 points off of the Cougars' 16 turnovers, while committing a season-low 14 miscues.
AACC is on the road for the next three contests, beginning with a 7 p.m. game at Garrett on Wednesday, December 7. The Riverhawks return home on Saturday, December 17 to close out the fall semester against Northern Virginia at 3 p.m.