Williams Layup Secures the Eagles Win over Bluefield, 100-99!

Waleska, GA - The Eagles celebrated a nail-biting victory against the Bluefield Rams with a 100-99 final score at the Brown on Saturday afternoon. The intense AAC basketball game concluded with the Eagles narrowly defeating their rivals, pushing their season record to 8-6 overall and 5-2 in the conference. Reinhardt currently sits fourth in the standings, tied with Johnson Royals.

During the first half, the Eagles set a strong pace, finishing with a five-point lead at 48-43. Reinhardt had to chip their way back through the first half as the Rams ran out with an early lead.  Junior guard Tucker Lowe gave the team a big lift, coming off the bench and hitting a few three-pointers to bring the Eagles back into the game. As the game progressed, the excitement continued, with both teams displaying remarkable skill and determination. Tee Williams and Nate Jones had their usual games going as well, helping the Eagles keep pace with the Rams as the first half finished up.  Williams led the Eagles with 24 points while Jones and Lowe added 16 points each.

In total, the Eagles had six players in double-figure scoring. Besides Williams, Jones, and Lowe - the Eagles received scoring from Derrick Brown (13 points), Nekhi Fisher (12 points), and Zae Wiggins (10 points).  Sophomore guard Brasen James was just out of reach of double-figures, scoring 9 for the Eagles. Brown, Fisher, and Lowe all came off the bench to boost the Eagles in scoring.

The Eagles kept their lead early in the second half, but around the fifteen-minute mark - the Rams caught the Eagles and pushed ahead.  They were about to go up ten points a few times on the Eagles all the way to the three-minute mark. The final two minutes saw the Rams struggle to score, allowing Reinhardt to catch up with just seconds remaining. The game's pivotal moment occurred just as the clock wound down, with Tee Williams netting a crucial layup to secure the lead at 100 points, leaving just five seconds on the clock. Bluefield had a couple of shots in the final five seconds to tie or take the lead, but it did not happen. This thrilling finish left the crowd in awe and solidified the win for Reinhardt.

Looking forward, the Eagles are set to face AAC opponent Truett McConnell on January 9, 2025, in Cleveland, GA. After this, the Eagles will be back home next Saturday to face the Knights of Kentucky Christian.