Alex Morris was the hero on Thursday night, converting two free-throws with 2.2 seconds left in the game to send the Genesee Community College men's basketball team past visiting #10 Monroe Community College, 87-86.
Up two at the start of the second half, GCC gave up an 18-4 Tribunes run and fell behind 56-43 five-minutes in.
The Cougars clawed back and got to within five after Morris converted a basket and a free-throw with 6:30 remaining.
Redell Freeman kept GCC close, answering an MCC three-point basket with an old school three-point play of his own to make it 77-72 Monroe with under five-minutes to play.
After a Morris layup, Ervin Mitchell tied the game at 81 apiece with a three-point play with 3:00 left. GCC then came up with a defensive stop and with under 2:30 to go, Morris hit one of two free-throws to give Genesee an 82-81 lead.
Monroe answered and went on a 5-1 run in a span of a minute to take back the lead.
Down 86-85 with less than 30-seconds to play, Genesee came up with the defensive rebound after a missed MCC free-throw and turned it over to Morris, who drove to the basket and was fouled with 2.2 seconds left. The sophomore hit both free-throws and a last second MCC attempt from mid-court was unsuccessful, giving Genesee its 21st win of the season.
Morris ended the night with a game high 24 points and he also collected nine rebounds. Mitchell added 21 points and four assists, Alastair Cole chipped in 17 points, Naquil Jones finished with 11 and Freeman added eight points and four rebounds.
With the win, Genesee (21-7, 6-4) locks up the number three seed for the Region III playoffs and will host Jamestown Community College next Tuesday night at a time to be announced.
Thursday night marked the final game of the regular season for the Genesee Community College women's basketball team and the Cougars ended the season on a losing note, falling to Monroe Community College, 82-28.
Genesee grabbed an early lead after Breana Gleaton converted a three-point play and Hillary Rivera scored two of her five points in the first half to put GCC in front, 5-2.
MCC would then use a 30-6 run to take the lead for good and went into the locker room at the half up 44-20.
Genesee managed just eight points, all coming from Dashawna Jenifer, and three field goals in the second half, and the Tribunes outscored the Cougars 38-8 in the final period.
Jenifer's eight points were a team high and she also collected 11 rebounds. Gleaton finished with seven points and eight boards, Shanell Glover chipped in six points, Rivera finished with five and Macey McCulley added two points.
Genesee ends the regular season 5-21. The Cougars will take the court in the Region III play-in round next Wednesday night at a time and place to be determined.
