SHREVEPORT, La. - Down by 72-49, The Gents used a 25-4 run to pull within a possession. Senior James Sapp's career-high 43rd point on a three pointer tied the game with 13 seconds left, but the Gents fell on a triple by Sterling Holmes with two seconds left as Centenary (8-10, 2-5 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) lost to Texas Lutheran (11-7, 5-2 SCAC) 98-95 Sunday afternoon, January 22.
Junior Travion Kirkendoll reached the 30-point plateau for the first time in his career, scoring 35 points on 10-for-26 shooting and hitting all 10 from the charity stripe. He scored 31 points in the second half alone on 9-for-14 shooting (5-for-6 from behind the arc).
With the Maroon and White down 23 with 13:39 left - the largest Texas Lutheran lead of the game - Centenary got out on the fastbreak to pull within a single possession in only six minutes. Sapp started the run when he split from the line, and picked up a steal and took it right to the goal for the hoop. After a stop, Sapp grabbed his own miss and made the layup.
Sapp also ended the game with 14 rebounds to record his 10th double-double of the season.
Kirkendoll hit a pair from the line and added a layup to cut the deficit to nine in only 2:31. Texas Lutheran answered with a pair from the line, but Kirkendoll made a pair of threes to bring the Gents within 10. Zach Behr answered with a jumper for Texas Lutheran, but Kirkendoll answered with another trey to bring the game to single-digits.
Sapp hit a fastbreak jumper and sophomore Hayden Clason made a three. Clason went 2-for-3 from distance for his first points of the season.
Centenary punctuated the run when Clason picked up a steal and Sapp made a fastbreak jumper to bring the home team within a possession.
Only shooting 9-for-36 (25 percent) in the first half, the Maroon and White made 22-for-36 (61.1 percent) while scoring 61 in the second half. It matched their biggest scoring output in a half since scoring 63 in the first half against Open Bible College February 18, 2014.
Centenary trailed 92-84 with two minutes left, but a Sapp layup led to seven unanswered in a minute. Two missed Texas Lutheran triples led to a fastbreak layup and triple by Kirkendoll. Holmes answered with the hoop and harm to push the deficit back to four.
Sapp split from the line, but Holmes missed the front end of a one-and-one. Sapp grabbed the board and raced down the court for the triple to force the first tie of the night.
Holmes hit the game-winner, and sophomore Treylan Matthews halfcourt heave bounced off the rim.
Holmes scored 33 points to lead the visitors, hitting 12-for-15 from the field and adding seven rebounds and six assists.
Texas Lutheran scored the first six points of the game and jumped out to a 13-1 lead. The Bulldogs led 6-1 just 4:30 in when Jordan Kourmetis hit a three. Jumpers by Behr and Matthew Gillette brought the deficit to 12.
Centenary cut the game to eight right before the half, but a Holmes three and two Behr free throws put Texas Lutheran up 47-34 at the break.
The Bulldogs built the lead to 23 when they hit 7-of-8 from behind the arc to begin the second half. Texas Lutheran finished the game 19-for-34 (55.9 percent) from distance.
Kouremetis added 20 on 5-for-11 shooting from three, while Behr made all eight from the line to finish with 14. Matt Perry came off the bench for 12 points.
Centenary returns to action Friday, January 27, when it travels to Southwestern. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
