Roadrunner Men Win Double OT Thriller

ALBANY, OR – The Linn-Benton Men's Basketball team defeated Clark College 84-82 in double overtime on Saturday, Jan 7. 

The Roadrunners improved to 7-8 on the year, and 2-0 in league play. The Penguins fell to 7-5 on the year, and 0-1 in league play. 

GAME

At the 18 minute mark Roadrunners' Kamana Lapina hit a 3-point shot from the right wing, and the Linn-Benton bench erupted as they took a 21-point lead, 43-22. 

17 minutes and 52 seconds later, Penguins Brendan Beier rattled in an 8 foot jump shot to tie the game at 67. Roadrunners' Tyson Parker was unable to convert a 3-point attempt on the opposite end for the Roadrunners, and the game headed to overtime. 

In the first overtime, the Penguins took a 4-point lead, 71-67, after a 15-foot jump shot by Payton Kaiser. The Roadrunners responded with a 9-0 scoring run, taking a 76-71 lead. The Penguins followed up by bringing the game back within 2 with 11 seconds left to play. Following a 30-second timeout by the Roadrunners, the Penguins converted an out of bounds lob play, leading to an Elijah Munyan dunk. The Roadrunners immediately pushed the ball down the floor with Lapina leading the charge. Lapina attempted to crossover at the top of the key, but lost his dribble. Kaiser scooped up the ball and set into a dead sprint straight for the rim with 4 seconds left. With 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime Kaiser leaped from the free-throw line stretching the ball out with his right hand, releasing it with just 0.1 seconds remaining. The ball hit off the middle of the backboard square and off the front rim, falling to the hardwood. To double overtime we go. 

In double overtime, after a Samuel Igbonagwam free-throw, both teams went scoreless for over a minute. Munyan broke the scoreless spell with a layup at the 3:12 mark, making it an 80-77 game. The following possession, Parker converted a pair of free-throws, bringing the Roadrunners back within one. With 2:01 left to play in double overtime, Roadrunners' Grant Dunn connected on a 3-point shot, almost 3 feet behind the arch. The three gave the Roadrunners an 82-80 advantage. The next possession Kaiser answered with a quick layup. With 8 seconds left ticking off the clock, Tyson Parker shot a 6-foot floater that rattled in, putting the final nail in the coffin for the Penguins. Clark failed to convert on an open 3-point attempt from the corner as time expired. 

BOX SCORE

Penguins' Payton Kaiser led all scorers with  27 points, shooting 9-19 from the field, and 5-7 from the 3-point line. His teammate Elijah Munyan recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. 

Ayden Foster led the scoring for the beaks, with 22 points, while grabbing 13 rebounds. Foster shot 7-20 from the field, and 7-12 from the free-throw line. Grant Dunn finished 15 points, shooting 5-8 from the 3-point line. All five Roadrunners finished with double-figure points. 

NEXT UP

Next up the Roadrunners stay home to take on the Umpqua Community College Riverhawks, on Wednesday, Jan. 11. Tip-off is set for 7:30 P.M.