Warriors edge Truman, 91-88, move to 4-1 on the year

Jakobi Heady operates at the high post during the second half vs. Truman.
Jakobi Heady operates at the high post during the second half vs. Truman.

MT. CARMEL, Ill. -- Wabash Valley came from behind not once, but twice, in the final 36 seconds to pull out a 91-88 victory over Harry S. Truman on Saturday in the final game of the two-day Warrior Classic. 

The win earned a split of weekend games for the Warriors, who will take a 4-1 record to Chicago for games on Friday and Saturday. 

Ksuan Casey went in the lane for a basket to put WVC ahead, 87-86, with :36 showing on the clock. Josiah Hammons answered eight seconds later to put Truman (0-4) back on top, 88-87. 

After an exchange of turnovers, Brandon Rayzer-Moore put the Warriors ahead for good with two free throws that made it 89-88 with 13.1 seconds remaining. 

As Truman raced the ball downcourt and towards a potential game-winning layup, sophomore Jakobi Heady swatted the ball away with the biggest of six Warrior blocked shots on the night. 

Rayzer-Moore then finished it up with two free throws with 1.7 seconds left to account for the final. 

It was a wild night from beyond the arc line. The two teams combined for 27 3-point field goals – 17 by Truman, and 10 by the Warriors (on impressive 10-of-20 accuracy). 

The first eight minutes of the game were especially frenetic, with 10 triples raining down during that time span alone. WVC led 25-21 at that point, and by halftime the advantage was 47-39. 

In the second half, though, the Falcons kept chipping away until they finally grabbed the lead, 71-70, on a 3-ball by Hammons at the seven-minute mark. 

Wabash Valley put five players in double figures, with Rayzer-Moore's 19 points leading the way. Heady added 15, Casey and first-time starter Donovan Jones 14, and Deshaun Nettles with a double-double total of 12 points and 12 rebounds. 

Hammons topped Truman with 30 points. The Falcons dressed only seven players, lost two to fouls, and finished with the only five they had left. 

In the other game on Saturday, Lincoln Trail (3-2) defeated Danville Area (2-1), 71-55, to finish 2-0 on the weekend.