Jackets Fall In Overtime To Lewis

The Lewis University Flyers basketball team got all they could handle from Cedarville Saturday night. However, they overcame the Jackets 83-81.

The contest went into overtime, and was a back and forth battle throughout. Jason Cuffee led the way for Cedarville with 21 points and seven rebounds. His 11 second half points helped the Jackets keep pace with an unbeaten Lewis team.

Also scoring were Marcus Reineke with 13 points and Austin Pickett with10. Pickett had one of his best games at home thus far, showing good leadership on defense while getting into the lane often on offense. Reineke again scored in double figures, the seventh time in eight games.

Cedarville did not lack contributions from the rest of the team either. Lane Vander Hulst dropped nine points, and Leighton Smith scored eight. Brian Grant had nine rebounds and two steals, while Easton Bazzoli was also a presence on defense, with five rebounds and two steals.

However, down the stretch the Jackets could not contain a three-pronged scoring attack from Ryan Jackson, Jeff Jarosz, and Julian Lewis. They paced the Flyers with a combined 59 points. Jarosz had a career night, finishing with 19 points. He handled the ball well and hit three second half three pointers.

Jackson buried the shot of the night for Lewis, a go ahead three with 19 seconds left in overtime to put the Flyers in front for good.

The Jackets hope to turn things around Dec. 17 when they visit the top-seeded team in Division II, West Liberty University of West Virginia.

Dave Guidone is a sophomore social studies education major and a sports reporter for Cedars. He is from Bristol, Conn., his life verse is Psalms 19:14, and he loves time spent with family and friends.