The game lies in the hands of NKU as they are up by two, 67-65. The College of Charleston has the ball and puts it in the hands of Jlynn Counter. He takes the isolation just like he did the previous trip down the floor. He drives to his right, making his defender backpedal, and he blows by them, getting to the hoop at will.
“Clank,” “Swish,” Counter banked home the layup, tying up the game at 67. In the last seven minutes of the game, it was all Counter as he gave NKU the work to end the game. He scored 15 straight points, putting the Cougars on his back, winning 85-74.
This loss for the Norse pushes them to 9-5 overall to end non-conference play, as they move to conference play, where they sit 1-2. The College of Charleston moves to 7-6 on the season.
Counter was the star of the game as he got to his spots at will and made his presence down low. He finished with a double-double, having 26 points and 11 rebounds, and also added six assists on the night.
Head Coach of the Norse, Darrin Horn, believes that Counter made some tough plays and shots throughout the game.
“I think he’s a confident player…it was about four different guys for us, just looked him in the eye and just went and scored on in the middle of the floor,” Horn said. “We tried to run at him a little bit late, but now you’re in rotation against the team that’s much bigger than you. You don’t want to give up a three-pointer late in the game. And it’s a challenge for us.”
Another player for Charleston, Christian Reeves, also had a double-double. The 7’2” big man finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Five of his rebounds came on the offensive end, giving them a second chance opportunity.
The Norse had three players score over double digits. Dan Gherezgher, Kael Robinson and Donovan Oday combined for 60 points. Gherezgher had 18 points and three assists. Robinson had 22 points and nine rebounds. Lastly, Oday had 20 points and six rebounds.
Other than those three players, NKU struggled to put the ball in the basket, shooting 39% from the field compared to Charleston’s 54%.
In the first half, Charleston came out hot with two quick baskets, and NKU responded with a two and a three of their own, getting the 5-4 lead. After that, it became a back-and-forth battle, but the Cougars took the lead back and retained it for most of the half.
Guard Jaxon Prunty led the way in the first half with 11 points, going perfect from the field, only missing one free throw. The lead grew to as much as 10 for Charleston as they went into halftime with a 40-30 lead.
NKU only had four players score, with Gherezgher and Robinson having the bulk of the points with 20 of NKU’s 30 points. While for Charleston, everyone who touched the floor, but one, scored a basket.
In the second half, the Norse started hot with two three-pointers made by Robinson to cut the lead within five, 47-42. Oday reached the 1000 career points mark with a steal on the defensive end, then ended it with a monster slam on the other end.
NKU got the game within two points a couple of minutes into the half, but the Cougars didn’t go away, getting a three-pointer from Martin Kalu to cut the game back to five, 56-51.
With eight minutes left, the Norse got the lead for the first time since the first quarter off a huge offensive rebound by Tae Dozier and a put-back got them the 62-61 lead. Three minutes later Charlston went on a 9-0 run to take back control, 74-67, all started by Counter, who had six points in that sequence.
The College of Charleston kept the pressure on, on both sides of the floor, as in the last minutes of the game, they dominated, scoring 18 points to end the game, winning 85-74.
Horn believes the main way this team will turn around will stem from persistence.
“I think tougher. And part of toughness is not like the physical toughness It’s mental toughness. It’s the discipline,” Horn said. “LJ Wells is in foul trouble, not because he did a bad job, but because he’s in rotation, helping for guys that did a bad job guarding the ball, or one in position or late. So now he comes over and picks up a foul, and he’s got foul trouble all night.”