Box Score CASTLETON, Vt. – Logan White scored Castleton's final seven points as the Spartans pulled out a 77-72 come-from-behind overtime victory over Elms College on Saturday afternoon in a raucous Glenbrook Gymnasium.
Trailing by two with less than a minute in overtime, Tyler Ackley found White on the left wing behind a screen for a deep three to give Castleton a 73-72 lead with just 46 seconds remaining. The Blazers came down and missed of pair of threes before White finally corralled the defensive board with only nine seconds on the clock. He was fouled and hit both free throws.
Elms brought the ball back down the court and found Pierre Simpson in the right corner; however, he couldn't hold on the pass and it dribbled out of bounds. White was then fouled with just 1.1 seconds left, hit both, and the final buzzer went off before the Blazers could attempt a half-court heave.
Castleton shot just 36 percent for the game, including a dreadful 26.8 percent in the first half, but finished the game 12-for-15 from the free throw line. The Spartans also forced Elms into 25 turnovers and pulled down 17 offensive rebounds as they improved to 5-5 with the win. The Blazers shot 43.9 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from downtown, but dropped to 3-7 overall with the loss.
White finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and three steals while Mark Comstock and Dammy Mustapha also joined him in double figures. Comstock scored a team-high 26 points and pulled down eight rebounds, and Mustapha scored ten and added nine boards off the bench. Ackley finished with a team-best seven assists and five points.
Andre French led the Elms attack with 23 points, including five shots from beyond the arc. He also added five steals and four rebounds. David McDaniel was the only other Blazer in double figures, finishing with 15 points, six assists and five rebounds. Isaiah Odunlami added six points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Spartans couldn't hit a shot in the opening minutes and Elms jumped out to a 13-0 advantage, the last bucket coming on a layup by Kenny Lockett with 16:14 left in the half. Chris Barletta finally broke the ice with a layup and a pair of free throws to pull Castleton back within nine. The Spartans closed within one, 19-18, with 10:09 remaining on a three by Comstock, and then took a 22-21 lead at 9:27 on a personal 4-2 run by the senior.
Elms snatched the lead back on the next possession and scored eight straight over the next five and a half minutes to grab a 29-22 lead with just 3:30 left in the half. Mustapha pulled Castleton back within five, 29-24, but the Blazers scored five consecutive points for the ten-point lead. However, White ended the half with a three that bounced high off the rim before dropping through to cut the deficit to 34-27 at the break.
Ackley hit a three 28 seconds into the second half, to slice the Elms lead to 34-30, and the Spartans slowly closed the gap until a three by Comstock tied the game at 41 apiece with 16:34 remaining. The Blazers responded with an 11-2 run to pull ahead 52-43 with 11:50 left in the game. Castleton countered with its own 11-2 in just 2:20, the final three coming on a White triple to tie the score 54-54.
Elms scored four straight, but couldn't extend its lead any higher than four as Castleton eventually drew even at 60 with 4:42 in regulation. The teams traded baskets before a free throw and jumper by Comstock gave the Spartans the lead, 65-64, with 1:50 left. Ackley hit a layup to extend it to three, though French drilled a triple with just 45 seconds to tie the game at 67. Comstock missed a jumper in the final ten seconds to send the game into overtime.
French scored first in the extra session with a steal and layup at the 3:12 mark. Mustapha countered with a triple, but French came back with a three of his own to give the visitors a 73-72 lead with 1:36 seconds left. Elms wouldn't score again as White's three gave the Spartans the lead for good with 46 seconds remaining.
Castleton is off until the New Year and returns to the court on Jan. 8, hosting Lyndon St. at 7:30 pm.
