South Euclid, OH – Glenville State Pioneers (5-2, 2-1 MEC) earned their second conference win with a powerful comeback in the second half. Notre Dame College (Ohio) (1-6, 0-3 MEC) controlled the game throughout until the Pioneers took advantage of the NDC defense to win 87-79.
 
Hegel Augustin had a great showing scoring 17 points with two assists, three rebounds and four steals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Half:
 
Notre Dame gained an early 12-4 lead over the Pioneers but buckets by Rodney Ray and Phil Bledsoe would put GSC behind at only 12-10 with 12:45 remaining in the half.
 
NDC responded back by scoring back to back layups and a three pointer to push their advantage to 22-12.
 
Seth Fallon and Steven Verplancken would go on a short 5-0 run for the Pioneers with a three pointer and layup to reduce GSC deficit back to single digits at 22-17.
 
Hegel Augustin's bucket from behind the arc and layup would knot the Pioneers and Falcons at 24 all with 6:13 remaining. Phil Bledsoe would add another jump shot before NDC regained the lead at 33-26.
 
The Pioneers would go on a short 6-1 run to trail by two before the Falcons pushed back their lead to 36-32 with two minutes remaining in the half.
 
Before the half, Bledsoe's layup and Rodney Ray's bucket from deep would send the Pioneers into the locker room down by one, 38-37.
 
GSC shot 50% from the field in the first going just 3-for-13 from deep and 0-2 from the strip. However, NDC shot 57% from the floor and 36% from behind the arc maintaining their lead throughout the half.
 
Second Half:
 
Coming out of the half, Bledsoe would connect with Verplancken for a bucket from behind the arc to gain the first Pioneer lead at 40-38. However NDC responded back with a free throw and layup themselves.
 
The score would be tied at 44 before the Fighting Falcons gained a seven-point lead at 53-48. Tyvon Taylor answered back by connecting with Bledsoe from behind the arc to cut the deficit 60-57 with 11:50 remaining in the contest.  
 
GSC would go on an 11-6 run to trail by one as Fallon found a spot from deep to trail 66-65. Bledsoe would add two freebies to take a 67-66, Augustin and Taylor would push the Pioneer advantage to 75-68 with 6:09 remaining in the contest.
 
Augustin would gain a double digit game with a layup to put the Pioneers up 79-68 with under four minutes remaining.
 
The Falcons would inch their way back to cut their deficit back to single digits at 79-73, but Verplancken responded back with a layup and two freebies to put the Pioneers back up to a double digit advantage with under a minute remaining.
 
Augustin and Taylor both went 2-for-2 at the line to end the 6-4 NDC run and the contest at 87-79.
 
Inside the Box Score
 
GSC shot just 49% where as NDC lead with 54% from the field. The Pioneers shot 29% from deep gaining 33 bench points and 44 points in the paint.
 
Phil Bledsoe lead the Pioneers with 21 points and 9 rebounds, with Steven Verplancken adding 12 points with three rebounds and four steals.
 
Both Tyvon Taylor and Seth Follow knotted ten points a piece as Fallon connected with four assists.
 
The Falcons shot 40% from behind the arc with 71 on the court points. NDC was lead by Larenz Thurman who earned 27 total points, five assist and five rebounds.
 
Up Next
 
The Pioneers will return to home to square off against the Blue Knights of Urbana University in the Waco Center, Saturday December 7^th at 4:00.