HICKORY, N.C. — The 16th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College men's basketball dropped lost a heartbreaking 109-108 game in overtime on Sunday afternoon to visiting Pitt Community College at the Tarlton Complex.
Jordan Powell scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for his fifth career double double to lead the Red Hawks (10-4, 2-3 in Region X) in the conference contest.
Both teams endured a physical game that included 78 total fouls, including 42 on Pitt and 36 on CVCC. Thirty-six of those 78 fouls came during the first half.
The Red Hawks and Bulldogs (8-4, 5-0 in Region X) remained deadlocked during most of the first half before Pitt gained a 54-49 lead at halftime.
CVCC trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half, but slowly clawed its way back within three points of the Pitt lead with just five seconds remaining.
A made 3-pointer by Red Hawks guard Byron Sanders at the buzzer tied the game 96-96 at the end of regulation, sending the contest into overtime.
CVCC managed to gain the early advantage in the extra five-minute session, but despite trailing by three points with one minute, 13 seconds to go, Pitt rallied behind a lay up by Devonte' Pettaway and two free throws from Timothy Downing to gain a 109-108 lead.
Catawba Valley would have one final chance to score with 0.3 seconds remaining. Following an inbound pass by Sanders, the Red Hawks' Jonathan McFall made a quick jump shot at the buzzer for the apparent game-winning shot.
However, McFall's shot was waved off by officials due to the "Trent Tucker Rule," which states that a team must have at least 0.4 seconds on the clock to attempt a quick shot. Anything 0.3 seconds or less must be a tip near the basket.
Three Red Hawk players reached double figures in scoring in Sunday's contest, including Powell, McFall (15 points) and Zach De La Cruz (13).
The CVCC men's basketball team will try to end its current three-game skid when it returns to the court on Wednesday at home against Guilford Tech. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the Tarlton Complex.
