TCC Wins Overtime Thriller

by TCCNN Reporter Randy Pifer
Updated on 12/7/15 at 11:32 PM

The TCC Fightin' Reformers finally got into the win column, but it was not without some serious drama as it took overtime to finally secure that elusive first win.  The Reformers jumped out to a quick 12-0 lead led by 5 points by Randy Pifer to start the game, and it looked like smooth sailing for TCC. Edwards Road Baptist Church started to chip away at the lead when TCC went cold and they were able to close the gap to just 4 at halftime, 16-12.  Edwards Road was playing a zone defense and leaving TCC shooters open on the perimeter.  "We were hitting early, but kinda cooled off at the end of the first half" said Hugh Carson as they walked into the locker rooms at half time.  Carson finished with 8 points and hit a few big shots down the stretch.

The second half started out much like the first half ended.  Edwards Road continued to shave into the lead.  They took what seemed to be an insurmountable lead at 24-20 with just under 3 minutes left in the game.  Then it turned into the Donny Mathis show.  Mathis drove into the lane and was double teamed but was somehow able to get the shovel pass into the lane to a cutting Pifer who layed the ball in trimming the deficit to 2.  Then on the next possession, Mathis, who was being heavily guarded above the three point line, splashed home a bomb from close to half court to take the lead back for TCC.  The crowd of no one erupted!  Edwards Road had to call a timeout to recompose themselves.  Mathis finished with 5 points but the importance of those 5 points can not be overstated.

The teams traded baskets and a few free throws down the stretch and with just over 10 seconds left and the scored tied at 27, Edwards Road had one chance left to end the game in regulation but their last second shot drew nothing and both teams began preparations for overtime.  Daniel Brown, obviously exhausted from playing more defense then everyone else on the court combined, asked if the game could end in a tie.  Brown set a new TCC record with 8 steals.  He finished with 4 points.

Overtime began and both teams were tight, but then, Edwards Road made a huge mistake.  They threw a lazy cross court pass that was easily stolen by Pifer who then hit the game winning shot with just over 1 minute remaining.  TCC added 4 more points for good measure as Edwards Road was forced to start fouling.  The final score was 33-27 in favor of the Fightin' Reformers.  Pifer led the team in scoring for the first time this year with 11 points.

Jonathan Chasteen for the second week in a row was having trouble with getting any calls.  His superstar status seems to be affecting the referees whistles and they refuse to give him any calls.  Malcolm Burgess was heard pleading with the referee to "call it the same on both ends!"  Burgess scored 3 points.  Tim Smerdon, who was repeatedly shoved to the ground, asked "what does it take to get a foul called" to which the ref replied "no blood no foul". Smerdon was held scoreless.

TCC finishes the first half of their season on Monday night against Earle Street Baptist at 8:30 at Taylor's First Baptist Church.  The whole team would love to have at least one supporter at one game this year.