Master’s Loses Momentum, Game, 82-81

Sizzling down the stretch in regulation, The Master’s College went ice cold in overtime and lost to Grand Canyon College, 82-81, in a National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics nonconference men’s basketball game at Bross Gymnasium on Thursday night.

Led by point guard Damon Greer (six points in the last 58 seconds), Master’s outscored the Antelopes, 11-4, in the last 1 minute, 32 seconds of the second half to send the game into overtime.

Jason Webster’s three-point basket with eight seconds remaining capped the Mustangs’ stampede--and tied the score, 76-76--but Master’s (9-10) would never gain the lead.

After hitting four consecutive shots and a pair of free throws down the stretch, the Mustangs missed six of eight shots and five of six free throws in overtime.

“We had our chances, but we just didn’t take advantage of them in overtime,” Master’s Coach Mel Hankinson said. “I don’t think we were tired. We just didn’t hit the wide-open shots when we had the chance.”

Grand Canyon, the 1988 NAIA champion, made only one of six shots in overtime, but David McDaniel’s free throws with 41 seconds remaining gave the Antelopes an 82-79 lead.

Webster drove the lane to narrow the Master’s deficit to one point with 25 seconds left, but Grand Canyon ran the clock down until one second remained, when a late Master’s steal went in vain.

Tom Bruner, Master’s 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, had game-high totals of 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Greer had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Anthony Steward led Grand Canyon (14-7) with 16 points, and McDaniel and Joshua Ondigo each added 13 points.

Masters’ trailed, 40-30, at halftime after shooting just 28% (10 of 36) from the field.

Grand Canyon’s defense was partly responsible for the Mustangs’ poor percentage, but Master’s also was unable to hit open shots with any consistency.

Bruner had 10 points at halftime on three-of-eight shooting, but Webster (0 of 7) and Greer (0 of 5) were scoreless at intermission.

Grand Canyon had seven players with four or more points, led by Ondigo, a 6-foot-9 sophomore forward from Nairobi, Kenya, who had nine points.

Trailing, 26-15, with eight minutes left in the half, Master’s went on a 6-0 run to narrow the deficit to five points with 6:22 remaining.

David Moore started the surge with two free throws and Stuart Epperson and Ted Hahs each followed with inside baskets.

Grand Canyon countered with an 8-0 blitz for a 34-21 lead with 4:17 left.