GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior Sean Gordon (Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep) came up with a huge steal that led to the go-ahead bucket and senior Connor Poston (Broomall, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) connected on the game-winning free throw with four seconds left to lift Gettysburg College past Washington College 60-59 in Centennial Conference men's basketball action inside Bream Gym.
Gettysburg (3-4, 2-2 CC) trailed 57-56 with Washington (2-4, 2-2 CC) setting up an out-of-bounds play near mid-court with 52 seconds left in regulation. Gordon turned in the play of the game, intercepting the in-bounds pass and tossing the ball ahead to freshman Cody Kiefer (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) for the lay-up. Kiefer was fouled on the play and the local product swished the free throw to put the Bullets in front 59-57.
Washington tied the game on its ensuing possession as John Weston drew in the defense and found a Tony Hawkins wide open under the hoop for an easy lay-in with 25 seconds left.
Gettysburg called timeout and drew up the potential game-winning play. With the clock winding down, senior Connor Poston (Broomall, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) gained position under the hoop and was fouled as he made his move to the goal. After missing the first free throw, Poston connected on the second with four ticks left.
Weston managed to get a shot off just before the final buzzer, but his attempt hit back iron.
The game featured 12 lead changes and eight ties. Washington grabbed a five-point lead on a lay-up by Pat Morgan at 11:22 in the opening half only to witness the hosts charge back in the final minutes of the period to take a 28-25 lead into the break.
Despite an early lead change after half time, the Bullets held the upper-hand for most of the final stanza. Kiefer turned in his first points of the night with a pair of free throws to put the hosts in front 41-36 with 8:42 to play.
After connecting on just one three-pointer in the first 33 minutes of play, the Shoremen began to heat up with Weston hitting from deep to slice the margin to 42-39 with seven minutes left. Kiefer answered a minute later with a fast-break dunk.
Kevin Cunningham pushed Washington back into the lead with back-to-back three-pointers, the last coming from the corner and giving his team a 52-51 lead with 2:52 to play.
The lead changed hands again as Kiefer converted under the hoop on Gettysburg's next possession, but Pat Morgan put the Shoremen back in front with a trey to make it 55-53 with 2:14 to play. Poston tied it on a pair of free throws only to see Hawkins put his team up 57-55 on a lay-up with 1:25 on the clock. Gordon connected on a free throw to slice the deficit in half prior to his game-saving steal.
Gettysburg dominated the glass, out-rebounding Washington 44-25 with 17 of those caroms coming on the offensive end. The Bullets shot 36.5 percent (19-of-52) from the field, while the Shoremen finished at 40.7 percent (22-of-54).
Poston finished with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Kiefer posted all of his 14 points in the final 8:42 of play, including a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the charity stripe. Sophomore Brent Slotoroff (Linwood, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) tied a career-high with eight points, while Gordon produced seven rebounds and five assists.
Hawkins led Washington with 17 points. Weston tallied 11 points and five rebounds, while Cunningham contributed nine points and five steals.
Gettysburg returns to action against Shenandoah University on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m.