Gates’ Buzzer Beater Sends Men’s Baketball Past Gordon, 86-84

BOSTON – A John Gates pull-up, mid-range, baseline jumper beat the horn to push Suffolk men's basketball to an 86-84 victory over Gordon Tuesday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court. The Rams overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half to set-up Gates' heroics.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 86 | Gordon 84
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-4, 7-3 CCC) | Gordon (7-9, 4-7 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Out of an 8-all even playing field, Gordon drained nine straight to put the Rams in a hole early. The teams went hoop-for-hoop to keep things close. It wasn't until the Fighting Scots scored two buckets in a row that the host found themselves down 11, 26-15, at the midway point of the first half.  

The Rams freshmen teamed up to cut the deficit down to seven, 28-21. Cole LeVangie, Kyle Phillips and Keenan Robertson each supplied two points to that stretch of scoring for Suffolk. That gap did not last long as Gordon used two consecutive hoops to restore the double-digit distance, 33-21, which forced Jeff Juron to call a timeout with 7:14 to go before halftime.  

Suffolk surged out of the huddle with a 6-2 run to cut the gap back to single digits, 35-27. The game of runs played in the Fighting Scots favor and once again the Rams trailed by double figures. This time, the blue-and-gold sat in a 45-31 hole at the 2:33 minute mark.  

Juron used another timeout to talk things over. Out of the full break, Gates knocked down a bucket from downtown and Conor Creane turned a Fighting Scots turnover into two points to spark a quarter-ending run. The rally was capped by an Aidan Sullivan trey that pulled the Rams within eight, 47-39. 

Slow and steady the Rams worked their way back and chipped it down to a two-possession game, 56-51. That score stood after William Rowe converted a traditional three-point play less than four minutes into the second half. 

Gordon managed to cling onto the edge, although, Suffolk continued to flirt with a comeback. Things changed when Robertson leveled the playing field at 71-all with 5:37 to go in regulation. 

With a new ball game, Suffolk used the momentum shift in its favor. Nate Hale buried a three and got fouled. That four-point play shifted the score in the Rams' favor, 75-71. 

Bryce Smith responded for the Fighting Scots with a bucket of his own behind-the-arc to bring Gordon back within one. A lay-up from Robertson and a monster triple from Creane gave the Rams their largest lead of the day, 80-74, at the 2:40 minute mark. 

That would not be enough as Gordon chipped away at the deficit and due to costly Suffolk turnovers the Fighting Scots had a chance to tie it up with 14 seconds left. Smith stepped up and capitalized on Gordon's chance to equalize the contest at 84-each with eight seconds on the clock. 

Prior to the Smith's game-tying hoop, Juron subbed Gates into the game. The last-minute switch paid off for the Rams as Sullivan zoomed up the court found an open Gates on the baseline. The junior made one dribble, pulled up, and sent the game-winner home as time expired. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Gates hero hoop saw the guard finish with a 12-point performance to go along with six assists, two boards and one steal. 
• Robertson's 19-point effort paced Suffolk's offense. The rookie shot 6-for-10 from the floor and did not miss at the charity stripe with a 6-for-6 showing. He grabbed 11 boards to notch double-double effort. 
• Hale had 16 points, two caroms, two dimes and one takeaway. 
• Creane supplied 11 points, eight rebounds and one swat off the bench. 
• LeVangie pitched in eight points, three boards, one assist, one block and one steal. 
• Suffolk, who struggled from the field in the first 20 minutes, shot 42.9 percent (30-70) from the floor on the night, 35.3 percent (12-34) from 3-point land and 93.3 percent (14-15) from the foul line. 
• The Fighting Scots outrebounded the Rams, 41-40.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk defeated Gordon in the third straight meeting to move to 13-7 all-time against the Fighting Scots. 
• As the home team, the blue-and-gold is 3-1 versus the Gordon. 
• The Rams are now 3-1 against the Fighting Scots with Juron on the bench. 
• Creane recorded a career-high eight boards. 
• Robertson matched a personal-best 11 caroms. 
• Robertson registered his second career double-double. 
• Gates dished out a career-high six assists.   

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk heads to Nichols Saturday, Jan. 29 for 3 p.m. CCC action.