Langston, Okla. - In a thrilling and hard-fought postseason battle, the Central Christian Tigers were narrowly edged out by the #22 Nationally ranked Langston Lions, 71-68, in overtime, marking another heartbreak for the Tigers in their second straight season opening the SAC Postseason Tournament against Langston, the defending SAC Champions, and NAIA Finalist.
The Tigers, seeded #7 in the SAC Tournament, went into the game with a strong game plan and nearly pulled off the upset. They held a 28-22 lead at halftime and managed to extend it to a 9-point advantage in the second half, thanks in large part to a stellar performance by Chris Whitten and Travis King. Whitten poured in 19 of his 22 points in the second half, while King contributed 9 of his 11 points during that stretch. The Tigers maintained their lead for most of the second half until Mario McKinney's clutch free throws with 1:25 remaining tied the game at 62.
In the final moments of regulation, Andre Shelby put the Tigers back in front with a key basket with 10 seconds to play. However, Langston responded quickly, with Bryce Monroe hitting two critical free throws as part of his game-high 36 points, tying the game again with just 7 seconds left. The Tigers' last-second attempt at a game-winner fell short, sending the game into overtime.
Overtime proved to be just as dramatic. The Tigers initially took a 68-66 lead with 1:26 left, thanks to a strong basket from Whitten. But the Lions answered with a 5-0 run to close out the game, securing a 71-68 win and extending the Tigers' season to a bitter end. Despite the loss, Jevarrick Butler had a solid double-double performance with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while King added 11 points and 9 rebounds.
The Tigers' heartbreaking loss drops their season record to 16-13, but they now turn their attention to the NCCAA Central Region Tournament which will be hosted right here in McPherson, Kansas. The semi-finals will be held Monday, March 10th at 5:00PM and 7:00PM with the championship game being played on Tuesday, March 11th @7:00PM! The tournament will be streamed on the SAC Sports Network!
