GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Calvin fell in a hotly-contested game to visiting Alma 67-66 Saturday afternoon at Van Noord Arena.
Alma's Steven Harvey connected on two free throws with three-tenths of a second remaining to lift the Scots to the win.
Calvin had taken a 66-65 lead on a 15-foot jumper by senior Carlos Amoros-Gutierrez with 12.7 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Alma moved the ball up the floor and misfired on a three-point shot and a follow-up putback. The ensuing rebound was ruled to have deflected off of Calvin, giving Alma one last inbounds play.
Out of a timeout, Alma fired up a three-point attempt from the right wing that was long. Moving to the basket, Harvey attempted a tip-in as the buzzer sounded. Harvey's tip-in was off the mark but Calvin was whistled for a foul on Harvey's move to tip the ball. Three-tenths of a second were put on the clock. Calvin called timeout prior to the free throw attempt. Harvey then stepped to the line and hit two free throws to give the Scots the lead.
Calvin attempted a long in-bounds pass that was intercepted as the Scots gained the win.
Alma (3-11 overall, 2-0 MIAA) jumped out to a 17-9 lead but the Knights (6-7 overall, 1-1 MIAA) fought back to take a 20-19 lead. The lead then changed hands four times before the Scots tied the game at 34 on a jumper with five seconds left in the half.
Calvin gained a 46-44 lead on a three-point shot by junior Derrick DeVries early in the second half and bumped its lead to five at 62-57 on a triple by Amoros-Gutierrez with 7:54 remaining.
After Alma's Kevin Gamble swished a three to bring the Scots within 62-60, both teams went cold for a three-minute spell. The drought was broken by a steal and fast-break dunk by Calvin freshman Carson Meulenberg (Grand Rapids, Mich./Covenant Christian HS) that gave th Knights a 64-60 lead.
Alma's Cole Kleiver hit a three with 3:30 left to bring the Scots within one. Kleiver was fouled and hit two free throws with 1:20 remaining to put the Scots up 65-64.
Both teams then missed shots over the next minute of play, setting up the go-ahead basket by Amoros-Gutierrez with 12.7 seconds left.
Calvin was led in defeat by DeVries who had 23 points and five rebounds. Amoros-Gutierrez had 10 points and four rebounds while senior Jason Walter had 10 points and six boards. Meulenberg had nine points and seven rebounds while junior Alex Bos had 10 rebounds.
Calvin held a 44-32 rebounding advantage but Alma was able to connect on 15 of 34 from three-point range (.441) including 8 of 16 in the first half. Gamble led Alma with 18 points and 11 rebounds while Woodruff had 15 points.
Calvin returns to action next Wednesday when it hosts rival Hope at 8 p.m. at Van Noord Arena.