Faulkner fends off late run to down Phoenix, 89-82

Nov. 5—MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Cumberland’s men rallied to tie the game late, but Faulkner made the plays down the stretch to wind up with an 89-82 win last Saturday.

Faulkner did not score from the floor the final 12 minutes of the game, but the Eagles picked up 40 points at the free-throw line as the Eagles made their way to the stripe 53 times.

Cumberland (0-3) got down by double digits in the second half, but a big run helped CU get back in it. The Phoenix delivered a solid team performance, shooting 50% from the field (30-60) and hitting eight 3-pointers in the game. At the free-throw line, they went 14-for-25. Defensively, they forced turnovers with eight steals and added five blocks although they committed 35 fouls.

Demarius Boyd led the scoring with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting, adding five assists and two steals. Conger provided a solid all-around performance with 14 points, 5 rebounds and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line. Riggs Abner, though only on the floor for eight minutes before fouling out, was efficient and impactful, scoring 10 points with two early 3-pointers.

Jonathan Garcia had a great night for the Eagles, posting a game-high 27 points going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Gabriel Rivera had a double-double, scoring 21 points while also grabbing 10 rebounds. T.J. Williams added 16 points with 8 rebounds, going 8-10 from the charity stripe. Maliek Sadler also contributed double digits with 10 points.

As a team, Faulkner shot efficiently, going 40-of-53 (75%) from the free-throw line, which proved crucial in the game. The Eagles hit 40% of their 3-point attempts (7-17) and ended with 43 total rebounds, including 14 offensive boards.

Cumberland came out strong, with Abner hitting an early 3-pointer to put the Phoenix on the board. Abner kept up the momentum, adding another three to give Cumberland a 6-3 lead. Faulkner tied it up shortly after, but Cumberland continued to push with layups from Khi Wallace and another 3-pointer from Abner, keeping the game close at 10-8. The Eagles started to find their rhythm and took a slight lead, but Cumberland stayed within two points as the first 10 minutes unfolded.

Faulkner briefly pulled ahead with a 3-pointer from Maliek Sadler, going up 11-10. Cumberland responded with a smooth jumper by Cooper Abner, keeping the score tight. The game continued as a back-and-forth battle, with Faulkner gaining a small lead through free throws. Cumberland didn’t back down, though; Boyd scored a layup and then sank a crucial three-pointer to tie the game at 19-19 halfway through the first half.

In the final 10 minutes of the first half, Cumberland kept pace with Faulkner in a close, back-and-forth battle. The Phoenix pulled even at 22-22 after a layup by Boyd, and from there, both teams traded baskets. Garcia’s 3-pointer put Faulkner up 27-25, but Cumberland quickly answered with a layup from Abner, tying it at 27-27. After Faulkner edged ahead with free throws and layups, Lecky and Johnson both nailed 3-pointers, keeping the score tight at 33-31.

Cumberland continued fighting, highlighted by a clutch 3-pointer from Lecky that brought the Phoenix to a 39-36 lead. However, Faulkner went on a late push. Williams scored key points off a dunk, free throws and a layup, giving the Eagles a 46-41 advantage at the break.

The first half featured 23 fouls and 31 free throws combined for both teams. Faulkner took advantage of the charity stripe in the half hitting 14 of-19 while CU was just 5-of-12.

The second half started with the Eagles building on their lead as Garcia scored a quick layup to put them up 48-41. Cumberland fought to close the gap with Robinson and Conger each adding layups, pulling the Phoenix to 52-45. Faulkner’s Rivera and Garcia continued to push their team forward with consistent shooting, extending their lead to 56-50.

Nehemiah Holmes nailed a 3-pointer to bring the score within six at 54-48. However, the Eagles responded with a flurry of points, including another 3-pointer by Garcia, pulling them ahead to 67-58. Cumberland continued to battle, with Matthew Stokes adding a layup to keep the game within reach, but Faulkner’s consistent free-throw shooting helped maintain their lead, bringing the score to 71-60 with just under 10 minutes left in the half.

From this point, the defense turned up for CU helping Cumberland get back into the game. Trailing by ten with just under six minutes left, Cumberland’s rally began as Cooper Abner and Conger each converted crucial free throws and layups, cutting the score to 80-72. With strong defensive stops, Boyd followed with a layup and a free throw, inching the Phoenix closer at 80-75.

Boyd added another layup, and then Conger nailed a 3-pointer with just under three minutes remaining, tying the game at 80-80 for a big 12-0 run. Over that stretch, Faulkner was held scoreless for nearly four minutes of action.

Faulkner however answered through free throws, but Boyd and Robinson responded with relentless drives, narrowing the lead once again. Despite Cumberland’s hard push, Faulkner managed to edge out in the final seconds with key free throws from KJ Rogers, leaving the Phoenix just short at 89-82.

The Phoenix will be back in action at Bethel (Ind.) on Nov. 13.