The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SAMUEL Dean made every big play the RM Bailey Pacers needed down the stretch to propel his team to a thrilling win in GSSSA senior boys’ basketball play.

Dean scored the final five points in regulation and grabbed a key rebound to seal the Pacers’ 56-53 win over the CR Walker Knights at the DW Davis Gymnasium last night. He scored a team high 18 points, while teammate Steffon Augustine added seven points and 10 blocked shots. Deangelo Bain chipped in with seven.

Jarne Thompson led the Knights with 19 points, Cormado Seymour had 14 points while Tyeko Lowe finished with nine points.

In a game that got off to a slow start offensively, the fourth quarter saw the scoring pace pick up considerably with eight ties and nine lead changes.

Dean’s layup gave the Pacers a late lead before Seymour split a pair at the line to tie the game at 53 with 58.5 seconds left in regulation.

Dean would add another fast break layup on the ensuing possession to regain the Pacers’ lead. Defensively he also altered Seymour’s drive to the basket and grabbed the rebound before making one of two at the line for the game’s final score.

The Pacers looked to dominate early and jumped out to a six-point lead in the first quarter before the Knights trimmed it to just a 14-11 lead. Augustine’s shot blocking was the story of the first half, turning away shot after shot from the Knights to keep his team ahead.

Trailing 16-15,  the Knights went on a 6-0 run capped by a Thompson layup that made it 21-16. They eventually took a  23-18 lead into the half. The Pacers opened the third with an 11-0 run to go ahead 29-23 with just over five minutes left to play.

Seymour scored the first field goal for the Knights nearly six minutes into the quarter. His dunk two possessions later brought them within two (31-29).

As he went to the bench in foul trouble, the Pacers regained their edge in the paint and took a  39-32 lead at the end of the third.

The Knights trailed by as much as seven before they staged a comeback. Tramourn Duncombe’s  jumper, then runner made it 44-43 with 4:06 left to play. The teams went back and forth for much of the final period and after four lead changes in a 90-second  timespan, Augustine scored the go ahead free throw to make it 51-50 with 1:33 left to play.

In the senior girls’ matchup between the two schools, the Knights came out as the winners 39-21.