The Glenville State men’s basketball team does not run “The System” – the frantic, pressurized, full-court, shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later philosophy that’s propelled GSC’s women’s team to the top of the WVIAC standings – but the Pioneer men emulated their female counterparts in one important way against Concord Thursday night:
The game-breaking rally.
The Pioneer overhauled a narrow Concord lead with a decisive 22-5 second-half run to overhaul a narrow Mountain Lions lead and go on to a 90-80 WVIAC victory at the Lilly Gymnasium.
Concord fell to 3-11, 2-7 in the WVIAC. Glenville State, under first-year head coach Stephen Dye, ended the night at 5-9, 4-5.
The game appeared to get away from Concord early. The Pioneers sank four of their first six shots to go ahead 10-0 just 1:46 after tipoff. GSC would move ahead 33-19 with 5:38 left in the first half before Concord responded with a 15-5 run to pull within 38-34 at halftime.
The Mountain Lions kept the momentum after the break. Freshman center Rick Alderman scored eight of CU’s first 13 points in the second half as CU took a 47-44 lead with 15:41 remaining.
That’s when Glenville State started its run.
Two free throws from Ryan Burts made the score 47-46. Aaron Dobson followed with five straight points for a 51-47 Pioneer lead. By the time the rally ended with 9:16 left, Glenville State was ahead 66-52 and Concord could get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Alderman continued his breakout season with a Mountain Lion-high 27 points on 10-15 shooting. He’s scored 80 points in CU’s last three games.
Fellow freshman Kortea Johnson would add 13 points and four assists.
Dobson topped a balanced Pioneer ledger with 29 points, including a 6-10 showing from three-point range. Marcus Catney added 17 points, Nick Dent 11 and Burts 10.
GSC outrebounded Concord 46-41, including a 20-13 edge in offensive rebounds. The Pioneers finished with 18 assists and 14 turnovers, while the Mountain Lions committed 21 turnovers offset by just 13 assists.
The Mountain Lions’ schedule gets more daunting on Saturday. Concord visits WVIAC co-leader West Liberty State for a 4:00 pm EST tip-off. It’s part of a doubleheader with the women’s team, which will take on the Hilltoppers at 2:00 pm.
Both games will be broadcast on Classic Rock 102 The River (WMTD 102.3 FM) and webcast at www.theriver102.com, beginning with the “Mountain Lion Preview Show” at approximately 1:30 pm.