By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
WICHITA, Kan. - Traejon Davis scored a career-high 21 points and Kaleb Hammeke added a double-double but it couldn't overcome Newman's 12 three-pointers as the Jets defeated Fort Hays State 77-75 in overtime to Newman at Fugate Gymnasium Sunday afternoon.
Two of the Tigers (8-3, 3-2 MIAA) losses have come in overtime on the road. The loss also snapped the Tigers eight-game winning and was the Jets (6-5, 3-3 MIAA) first over FHSU in MIAA play.
Fort Hays State played the game short-handed with Conner Landell and Shaun Riley out for the game for a violation of team rules and Lucas Hammeke still in street clothes with a knee injury, but it didn't stop them from building a 12-point lead with a little over five and a half minutes to play in the first half, but the Jets closed the half on a 17-6 run to pull within one at 35-34.
A 10-2 Fort Hays State run pushed their lead to eight at 49-41 but Newman answered with a barrage of threes and used a 17-4 run to go up eight with just under six minutes to play.
The Tigers scored the next 10 points to go up 68-66. The Jets would score to tie the game and had a chance to win it in regulation but missed a corner three as time expired.
Fort Hays State opened the extra period on a 7-3 run to lead 75-71 with 1:20 to go, but a 3-point play from Newman's Stevie Strong and then a layup by Devin Walker pushed the Jets back in front. Walker then hit one of two free throws with three seconds left to give the Jets a 2-point lead. Kaleb Hammeke then missed a running 3-point try at the buzzer.
Davis hit three 3-pointers and led the Tigers with a career-high 21 points which came on the heals of a then career-best 17 points in Wednesday's win over Bethel College. Hammeke finished with 19 points and a team-high 13 rebounds. He also led the team with five assists. Jahiem Holden scored 16 points.
Strong led the Jets with 25 points and hit five of their 12 threes. He also dished out a team-high eight assists. Thomas Zevgaras had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. The pair combined for over 50 percent of the scoring for Newman.
UP NEXT
Fort Hays State returns to action after the holiday break at nationally ranked Central Oklahoma on Sunday, December 31 at 3:30 p.m.