Franklin Springs, GA – Southern Wesleyan fell in the final seconds of the game to the Emmanuel Lions in a 90-88 final score on Wednesday evening.

The Warriors shot 49.3% from the field and were 50% from beyond the arc against the Lions of Emmanuel.  Jaquay Randolph led the team with 29 points in the game.  Three other Warriors joined him in double digits in Josh Parker (19 points), Will Little (16 points) and Malachi Cooper (13 points).  Parker went on to have 10 assists in the game.

Southern Wesleyan pulled down 31 rebounds with Jaquay Randolph leading the team with 17.  Valdy Zephir was the next highest rebounder for the Warriors as he had six.  Randolph picked up the lone block of the game for the Warriors.  Malachi Cooper had the lone two steals of the game.

Game Vitals

Final: Emmanuel 90, Southern Wesleyan 88

Records: Southern Wesleyan (13-14 / CC 10-10) Emmanuel (16-12 / CC 13-7)

How It Happened

Southern Wesleyan jumped out on the board early as Jaquay Randolph laid the ball up into the basket.  Randolph hit a three and then Valdy Zephir put up a mid-range to allow the Warriors to extend their lead to 7-0 before a three pointer by Sam Thacker put the Lions on the board.  The Warriors would not back down as Zephir knocked down a three pointer to extend the Warriors lead back to seven.  Josh Parker put up a three, but Thacker answered with a three pointer of his own.  Devin Story wove around the Warriors' defense to lay the ball up into the basket.  Southern Wesleyan was not discouraged as Will Little laid the ball up into the basket to maintain the Warriors' ten point lead.  Emmanuel chipped away at Southern Wesleyan's lead as Ezra McKee laid the ball up into the basket.  With two minutes left on the clock, McKee put up a three pointer, but the Warriors answered with a three pointer out of the hands of Josh Parker.  Southern Wesleyan led the game 42-37 going into the locker room.

A layup by Jaquay Randolph to start the second half allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to seven.  However, the Lions fought on as Devin Story knocked down a three.  Malachi Cooper fired off a shot from deep beyond the arc, but the Lions answered with a three pointer by Sam Thacker.  With just over thirteen minutes left on the clock, Josh Parker got the ball up to Jaquay Randolph.  Randolph slammed the ball into the basket to give the Warriors a 55-49 point lead over the Lions.  Cooper stole the ball away from Story seconds later and went coast-to-coast to lay the ball up into the basket.  Emmanuel would not back down as Devin Story and Ezra McKee each attacked the basket.  With just over seven minutes on the clock, Will Little stepped outside the arc and fired off a three pointer.  However, back-to-back three pointers by Isaac Jones and McKee allowed Emmanuel to tie the game up at seventy-four with just under six minutes on the clock.  Will Little tipped an offensive rebound right back up into the basket.  Seconds later, Jaquay Randolph laid the ball up into the basket.  Emmanuel looked for the lead, but with eight seconds on the clock, Malachi Cooper put up a three pointer.  It was not enough, as Devin Story laid the ball up in the final second of the game to allow the Lions to take a 90-88 point victory.

What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will await seeding for the Conference Carolinas Championship Tournament.