SALEM, VA --- The Eastern Mennonite basketball men picked up their first ODAC win Saturday afternoon, scoring the final seven points in an 82-76 trumping of Roanoke on the road.
The teams battled evenly most of the first half until the Runnin Royals closed the period on a 14-5 run to lead 42-33 at the break. EMU led by as many as 12 points in the second before the Maroons made their comeback.
By attacking the hoop and getting to the free throw line, Roanoke whittled the lead down to one point at 61-60 with 5:41 to play. Dajon Daniel (Fredericksburg, VA/Mountain View) scored the next six points of the game to push the edge back up to seven, where it stayed until 72-65.
The Maroons then struck a run of nine points and grabbed their first lead since the first half when Kwasi Amponsah (Woodbridge, VA/Garfield) nailed a three pointer to make it 74-72 with 1:33 left.
But senior Owen Longacre (Telford, PA/Christopher Dock) had the answer. EMU's big man drilled a triple of his own, and then answered Amponsah again with a layup, keeping the Royals ahead 77-76 with 50 seconds showing.
After the defense drew a key charge on RC's next possession, the strategy switched to hitting free throws. Daniel made the first of two tosses with 34 seconds left to put the lead at two, but Longacre snuck in for the offensive board. Another foul sent Ryan Yates (Alexandria, VA/T.C. Williams) to the line, and he also made one of two to make it 79-76 with 31 to go.
Amponsah missed a three pointer for Roanoke, and Andrew Thorne (Front Royal, VA/Skyline) kept the drama alive by only making one of two free throws with 12 seconds left. After Amponsah missed another triple, the Maroons grabbed an offensive board. Longacre picked out a steal with three seconds to go, however, and then iced the game with two free throws, providing the final six-point margin.
Most offensive numbers were even between the two teams, although EMU made the difference by grabbing three more offensive rebounds and forcing six more turnovers. The men also attacked the hoop well, earning 36 free throw attempts and making 20 for 56%.
Thorne dumped in 21 points to go with seven rebounds, including five on the offensive end. It was the third time in the last four games Thorne has scored 21 or more. Longacre finished with 14 points, including seven key counters over the final 1:21. He also had three assists and two steals.
Daniel tallied 11 points and four steals, while R.J. Sims (Fort Washington, MD/Friendly) had 11 points, five rebounds and two steals. Dorian Valentine (Bassett, VA/Carlisle) had a great all-around game off the bench, charting eight points, seven rebounds and two steals.
Amponsah topped all scorers with 24 points.
The Runnin Royals improved to 5-1 with the win, including 1-1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. They step out of the league Monday night, playing at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD.