Windy City Bulls suffers OT setback against Bay Hawks |
Since getting Jaron Blossomgame, things were supposed to get better for Windy City. After winning their first Game with Blossomgame in the lineup, things have gone south quickly as the Bulls (12-21) have now lost four consecutive games heading into a week break away from the action. No loss stings more than last nights set back against Erie, as the Bayhawks (10-24) pulled out the 127-124 OT win to spoil the Milton Doyle night.
In what was supposed to be a bounce back and momentum-swinging type of win, turned into a catastrophic nightmare as a dismal defensive performance did the Bulls in for the overtime loss. Watching the first quarter of this game and you would never have thought it was going to be an offensive outburst as both teams struggled to find their rhythm. Blossomgame and Justin Simon got the offense going early as the Bulls had a 5-3 lead three minutes into the game. That duo continued to pace the offense throughout the first six minutes of the quarter as they accounted for nine of the teams' first 11 points to lead 11-8. Aubrey Dawkins and Tony Carr began leading the Bayhawks back, but the Bulls still maintained the lead 15-13 with three minutes left before the Bulls held a 21-20 lead through one quarter. Windy City came out the gates hot in the second as Thomas Wilder, Tre' Darius McCallum, and Doyle accounted for the teams' first 11 points in the quarter as the Bulls were off on an 11-2 run to take a 32-22 lead. Erie responded with a 12-2 run of their own as they rode Jalen Adams and his six straight points to tie things back up 34-34. Down 41-38 following another Adams three, Simi Shittu began to take over as he scored the next six points for Windy City to give them a 44-41 lead. Following the Adam Mokoka layup that tied the game yet again, it was the Doyle show that took center stage as he certainly had the hot hand. Not only did he have the final eight points of the half for Windy City, but he finished with a team-high 32 points on 8-14 shooting from deep as the Bulls clung to the 54-53 halftime lead. It was in the third when Erie began to take control of the game as they were both strong offensively and defensively. Trailing 58-57 early on, Vito Brown put the Bayhawks up by one as his bucket ignited a 9-0 run capped off by the Scott Lindsey three for the 66-58 Bayhawks lead. Doyle and Simon put an end to that with four quick points before consecutive Ferrakohn Hall three's put the Bulls back up 68-66 following a 10-0 run. With the game tied 78-78 in the final minutes of the third, Erie was able to seize control by closing out the quarter on an 8-2 run taking an 86-80 lead through three. Bronson Koenig and Carr played a massive part in that late burst as Erie was now looking as if the win was in their hands. Needing offense and offense in a hurry following a Dawkins three to open the quarter, Doyle answered with a three of his own before a Daniel Dixon three a few minutes later tied things up once again 91-91. It then became a three-point contest as both teams combined for nine threes in the fourth quarter, five of those came from Doyle as he brought things within 119-117 before McCallum forced OT following a late two-point shot. With a new game now starting in the OT period, McCallum and Blossomgame opened the extra frame with five quick points to give the Bulls a 124-119. Brown answered that with four points of his own ahead of a Dawkins free throw as the game was now tied 124-124 with eight seconds to go. Erie would get the last laugh as they found Carr behind the perimeter as he did the rest sinking the three as time expired to secure the 127-124 OT win. Doyle led all scorers on the night with 32 as McCallum and Simon chipped in with 18 each for the Bulls. On the Erie side of things, it was a trio of 20-point performances with Brown leading the way with 24 and Zach Cheatham and Grey adding 20 each. The hero of the night was Carr as he added 19 points off the bench.
