QUINCY, Ill. – Lewis University's men's basketball team took the lead with 0:08 left but Quincy hit a shot at the buzzer to send the Flyers to a 69-68 defeat on Thursday evening at Pepsi Arena in Quincy, Ill. Lewis falls to 8-6, 3-3 GLVC while the Hawks improve to 9-5, 3-3 GLVC.
There were three lead changes in the final minute of play. Quincy regained the lead with 0:34 left on a pair of free throws by Austin Downing.
Artese Stapleton (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood) had a chance to give the Flyers back the lead but missed a jumper with 0:23 remaining.
Donovan Oliver (Kewanee, Ill./Kewanee) got the rebound and kicked out to
Adam Pischke (Cary, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) who missed a three from the left wing. A scramble for the rebound occurred and the Hawks came away with it but were ruled out of bounds to keep possession with Lewis with 0:17 to play.
The Flyers called timeout to set up a play. Stapleton drove the lane and hit a jumper with 0:08 to go to put Lewis ahead 68-67. Quincy came down with a chance to win but Ryan Briscoe's jumper missed and
Anthony D'Avanzo (Harwood Heights, Ill./Notre Dame) came away with the rebound but Aziz Fadika reached in to tie him up to force a jump ball and the possession arrow stayed with the Hawks.
The clock ran out but after a review the officials put 0.4 seconds back on the clock. After another a timeout by Lewis, Viktor Kovacevic came off a screen, caught the ball at the left block and hit a shot at the buzzer. After another review the call on the floor stood to give Quincy the victory.
The final seven minutes saw five ties and five lead changes with each side answering basket for basket.
The Flyers shot over 43 percent (27-for-62) from the field, was just 6-of-21 from three, shot only 50 percent at the free throw line and turned the ball over a season-high 21 times. Stapleton led Lewis with a career-high 21 points while D'Avanzo added 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Jake Reinhart (Bloomington, Ill./Central Catholic) also reached double figures in scoring with 14 points.
Downing led three Hawks in double figures with 16 points. Fadika added 14 while Briscoe finished with 12 points.
The Flyers continue their three-game road trip at Truman State on Saturday afternoon beginning at 3 p.m.
