By Brackin Lambert
uscbathletics.com
BLUFFTON — USC Beaufort’s men’s basketball has made The Cove one of the most exciting places to play in the Peach Belt Conference of late, following up an overtime thriller with USC Aiken a week earlier with a four-overtime marathon, defeating Columbus State, 123-118, on Jan. 31.
Marcus Overstreet had a career day with 36 points and 25 rebounds — both season-highs in the Peach Belt — and Larry Bulluck played in 55 of the 60 minutes and scored 25 points to go along with eight boards to help secure the win. Qurahn Anderson had a stellar night with 16 points — including several thunderous slam dunks — while collecting nine rebounds.
“That’s what those men do, Sand Sharks fight,” coach Ron Fudala said after the game. “We continue to fight, no matter the score, no matter the situation. I could not be prouder of those men out there with the learning and growth, the teamwork. This was a tremendous fight for our team and a great team win.”
Overstreet was in foul trouble late in the second half, but the 6-foot-9 freshman from Chicago played the final 24 minutes of the game with four fouls, willing the Sand Sharks to victory.
“I told him (Overstreet) he was going back in at the four-minute timeout and still want you to play your game because I trust you. I trust you won’t back down and wall up, and that’s exactly what he did.”
The Sand Sharks kept a double-digit lead for most of the first half and extended it to 17 early in the second, but Columbus State picked up the pace and trimmed the lead to a single possession. Following a timeout, Beaufort’s Tasso Sfanos drained a triple, but CSU countered with one of their own and a floater from Wisdom Uboh made it one-point game.
It remained scoreless for the next three minutes before USCB reclaimed its two-possession lead of six. Bulluck connected on a 3-pointer and Beaufort led by eight with under nine to play.
CSU cut it back to a two-point game, but Gaines drove to the basket and made the bucket to make it 74-70. It was tied at 80 with less than two minutes to play, and the Cougars took their first lead of the game at 82-80. Overstreet’s putback off the glass tied it as time expired and the Sand Sharks went to OT for the second straight home game.
The Cougars jumped out to a six-point lead midway through OT and the Sand Sharks battled back to send it to a second overtime, then a third, and finally a fourth.
Two Kenney Gaines free throws and Overstreet’s layup made it 111-107, and USCB held a 114-111 lead with under two to play when Price made it a five-point lead and then picked up a steal that led to a huge Overstreet dunk to make it 118-111. After a steal by the Cougars made it a five-point game again, Overstreet was left unmanned and threw down a monstrous dunk that sent another shockwave through the Cove. USCB was able to force a couple of turnovers as the clock wound down and walked away with the thrilling OT victory.
“I’m surprised everyone stayed,” exclaimed Fudala. “So thankful for our fans and community for staying out and seeing this great game.”
Overstreet posted another 33 points and eight rebounds on Saturday, but the Sand Sharks let a second-half lead slip away as Clayton State swept the season series, defeating USCB, 88-84, in The Cove. Larry Bulluck was the other Sand Shark with double-figures, as he posted 10.
USCB held a lead as large as 11 in the first half, but the Lakers continued to battle back, making it a one possession game before the break. The Lakers took a lead of seven into the final minute but neither team held a one score lead throughout the second half until the last 60 seconds. Beaufort attempted three triples in the final 25 seconds but couldn’t convert.
The Sand Sharks travel to No. 15 Lander on Wednesday and hit the road to Georgia Southwestern on Saturday before returning to The Cove to host Georgia College on Feb. 14.
