Rebels lose heartbreaker to EPC

Riverside got off a last second shot that bounced off the rim in a 75-74 loss to EPC in the semi-finals of the Gerald Jennings Tournament in Marked Tree.

Daniel Couch of Riverside goes high for the rebound as teammate Cash Gills and EPC’s Eli Blagg look on.Cosmo Cossey photos

Jacob Gaines gave EPC an early 3-0 lead before Cash Gillis scored six straight points to give Riverside a 6-2 lead. Eli Blagg scored inside for the Warriors only to see Gillis get back to back baskets for the Rebels to push the Rebels’ lead to 10-5 with 5:30 left. Ashton Reel hit one of two free throws for Warriors as Bryce Smith hit two free throws and a jumper for Riverside making it 14-6 Rebels. Drake Williams scored canned a three-ball for EPC, Gillis scored in the paint for the Rebels, Gaines got a basket down low for the Warriors as Tucker Emery hit a jumper and Gillis scored down low for Riverside to make it 20-11 Rebels. Devin Magee converted an old-school three-point play for EPC before Daniel Couch hit a jumper in the lane for the Rebels making it 22-14 Riverside after one.

Magee got a steal and easy basket for EPC early in the second quarter as Jamarue Young followed with a three-pointer cut the lead Riverside lead to 22-19. Gillis and Smith both converted old-fashioned three-point plays for the Rebels as Smith added a three-pointer to make it 31-19 Riverside with 5:51 left. EPC got a three-pointer and a jumper from Young and a basket inside from Ashton Reel to make it 31-26 Riverside. Couch canned a three-pointer and Smith got inside for a score to push the Riverside lead to 36-26. Tyrus Reel converted a conventional three-point play and added a stick back basket for EPC before Couch canned another three-pointer for Riverside making it 39-31 Rebels. EPC scored the last seven points of the half as Gaines hit two free throws before Williams scored in the paint and drilled a three-pointer making the halftime score 39-38 Riverside.

Riverside’s Cash Gillis goes in for a score as EPC’s Quincy Perry defends during Gerald Jennings Tournament action in Marked Tree.Cosmo Cossey photos

EPC got a three-pointer and a basket inside from Ashton Reel along with a steal and layup from Perry to take a 45-39 lead with 6:37 left. The Warriors got a basket inside from Ashton Reel and a stick back from Gaines before Riverside got a basket inside from Gillis making the score 49-41 EPC. Tyrus Reel hit two free throws for EPC as the Rebels got a basket inside from Smith and Thatcher Durham to make it 51-45 Warriors. Perry drilled a three-ball and got a steal and layup to push the Warriors’ lead to 56-45 before Couch canned a three-pointer for Riverside to make it 56-48 EPC. Gaines hit two free throws and Perry scored inside to push the Warriors lead to 60-48 as Durham scored inside for the Rebels to making it 60-50. Gaines put back a rebound for EPC, Smith hit two free throws for the Rebels, Couch hit two of three free throws for Riverside after being fouled attempting a three-pointer as Smith hit triple-twine for the Rebels to make it 62-57 Warriors at the end of three quarters of play.

The Warriors scored the first six points of the fourth quarter as Perry hit a jumper before Tyrus Reel and Gaines both scored inside to make it 68-57 EPC. The Rebels answered with six straight points as Couch got a stick back, Smith scored in the paint and Couch stuck back another rebound making it 68-63 EPC with 4:52 left. Gaines drilled a three-ball for EPC, Gillis scored inside for the Rebels, as Perry and Gaines scored back to back baskets for the Warriors to make the score 75-65 EPC. The Rebels got a basket inside from Durham, one of two free throws from Gillis and back to back three-pointers from Mason Stone and Durham to make it 75-74 with 1.1 seconds left. Riverside came up with the ball on the inbound pass and barely missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer.

“We started out real good early and got a little hesitant when they got close to us and turned the ball over a few times. We let the thing happen I told them they couldn’t let happen,” Riverside head coach Buster Campbell said after the game. “They (EPC) scored in the paint, got the rebounds and caused turnover, things I told the team we needed to keep them from doing,” Campbell added.

Gillis led Riverside with 22 points as Smith finished with 21 points. Couch added 17 points with Durham scoring nine points for the Rebels.

EPC got 20 points from Gaines as Perry added 19 points. Ashton Reel finished with 10 points, Tyrus Reel netted nine points, with Young and Williams scoring eight points each for the Warriors.

EPC head coach JeMarcus Thaxton left the gym immediately after the game.