Posted: Feb 12, 2022
FORT MYERS, Fla.- A 15-0 run late in the second half and a free throw with 1.5 seconds remaining on the clock was all it took for the visiting Hillsborough Hawks to pull off a stunning 72-71 upset against the #10 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers in Suncoast Credit Union Arena Saturday afternoon.
Both sides got out to slow starts with each team putting up just six points through the first five minutes to find the game tied at 6 at the 15:00 mark of the first. Hillsborough found their stroke from there, going on a 12-3 run to open up a nine point lead at 18-9 and force a Buccaneer timeout. Slowly the Bucs worked their way back into the game, drawing to within four on a nice hookup from Bryant Selebangue to Jonathan Dos Anjos and then Selebangue was on the receiving end of a dime from Marcus Niblack to make it a two point game at 27-25 with 3:49 left in the half. The Bucs had a chance to tie it just before the half, but a shot fell shot and Hillsborough took a 34-31 lead into the locker rooms at the break. The Bucs were able to keep it a three point game at the break despite shooting just 39% from the field and going 0-8 from three point land in the first 20 minutes.
FSW quickly tied the score early in the second half and the two teams traded jabs for the next eight minutes to find themselves deadlocked at 48 midway through the period. Rhyjon Blackwell sparked a 6-0 run for the Bucs after nailing a jumper and them completing an old fashioned three point play and moments later they extended their lead to nine at 61-52 with 6:30 left. Just when it looked like the Bucs had gained control of the game, here came the Hawks. Hillsborough went on a 9-0 run to level the score at 61 and continued to push, holding FSW without a single point for five agonizing minutes, turning a nine point deficit into a six point lead at 67-61 with under 2:00 to go. The Hawks cushioned their lead to seven with just under a minute left to play and looked like they had things wrapped up, but FSW had different ideas. A three from Blackwell and an and-one for Selebangue leveled the score at 71 in the blink of an eye. Holding for the last shot, the Hawks were forced to setting for a long three point attempt with under 2 seconds remaining and the shot was off the mark, unfortunately for FSW, their defender walked under the shooter on the close out and was called for a four, sending Hillsborough to the line for three attempts with 1.5 seconds left on the clock. With the Bucs faithful making some noise in Suncoast Arena, the first two free throws missed their mark, but a third found the bottom of the net, giving the Hawks a one point lead. A desperation play at the horn for FSW never materialized and the Bucs fell 72-71 in shocking fashion.
Blackwell led the Bucs with 20 points in the loss, going 7-12 from the field and 2-4 from three point land. Kaiyem Cleary and Jordan Mitchell combined for 22 off the FSW bench.
The Bucs second straight loss drops them to 19-5 overall and 6-3 in Southern Conference play where they will now be forced to settle for a second place finish with three games left to go. Hillsborough improves to 10-13 overall and 4-6 in league play with the victory.
The Bucs will take the court again on Wednesday when they travel to Fort Pierce to take on #2 Indian River in the two teams third battle of the season.