Greg Newton '14 made a jumper with 3.7 seconds remaining to lift Hamilton College to a 62-60 victory over Elmira College in a non-conference game at Elmira’s Speidel Gymnasium on Nov. 20.
Newton scored 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting, including a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. Ken Click '13 had a game-high 16 points and blocked four shots. Peter Kazickas '15 and Matt Dean '14 each pulled down a team-best five rebounds.
The Soaring Eagles were led by Chris Cassidy '14, who scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Josh Keys '14 added 12 points on four 3-pointers and Kurt Dutcher '14 chipped in 10. Derrick Vogel '14 dished out four assists and led the defense with four steals.
"We fought back against a veteran team," Hamilton head coach Adam Stockwell said. "Although many areas need to improve, we found a way to win on the road. That is something we can build on."
Elmira (0-2 overall) jumped out to a 16-8 lead midway through the first half before the Continentals mounted their first comeback. Five points by Click and a layup by Marlon Bascombe '14 cut the deficit to 16-15. The teams traded a basket and then the Soaring Eagles rattled off 10 straight points for a 28-17 advantage.
Hamilton (1-1) answered with an 11-0 run as Newton and Dean scored three apiece. A bucket by Dan O’ Brien ’13 with 11 seconds left gave Elmira a 30-28 lead at the break.
The Continentals tied it at 30-30 on a Newton layup less than a minute into the second half. The Soaring Eagles built a 45-38 lead with 9:47 to play, but Hamilton used a 12-0 run to go up 50-45 with 5:18 left. Kazickas hit a jumper and Joseph Lin ’15 followed with a 3-pointer that cut the deficit to two. Matt Hart '16 then scored all seven of his points in a span of just 81 seconds. The Continentals opened up a 56-50 lead with 3:31 remaining.
Elmira got within one at 58-57 with 58 seconds remaining after O'Brien converted 1 of 2 free throws. Click drained a tough fadeaway jumper with 33 seconds remaining to give Hamilton a 60-57 lead. Keys knocked down a 3-pointer with the gentle shooter's roll with 14 seconds left to the score at 60.
Hamilton called a time out and drew up a play for Newton, who converted a 15-footer to reclaim the lead with 3.9 seconds to play. After another timeout, Elmira inbounded the ball to Dutcher, who dribbled the length of the floor and laid the ball in as time expired. The shot was immediately waved off as the officials claimed it left his hand after time had expired.
Hamilton knocked down 44.8 percent (26-58) of its shots and the Soaring Eagles connected on 46 percent (23-50), including 50 percent in the second half. The Continentals controlled the glass, 32-28, and blocked six shots.
Hamilton returns home for its Thanksgiving tournament and will host Union College on Saturday, Nov. 24. Elmira travels to SUNY Fredonia on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
