Eagles Season Comes to End at AAC Opening Round

Kingsport, TN - Reinhart Eagles put together a great February, winning five of their last seven games, which helped them stay in qualification for the AAC Tournament. However, the Eagles would lose a heartbreaker in the final seconds of the opening round game versus Georgia rival, Truett McConnell with a final score of 78-77. A last-second floater from point guard Donovan Pearman rolled around the rim and fell off the edge, ending the Eagles' season.

The contest was fiercely competitive from the start, as Truett McConnell grabbed an early lead with pivotal plays, including a significant scoring run led by standout performances from Myles McCrary and RJ Bryant. Despite this, Reinhardt, spearheaded by Tee Williams and Nate Jones, responded vigorously. Williams, not only the top point scorer with 21 points but also a defensive stalwart with 12 rebounds and 3 steals, played a pivotal role throughout the game. His contributions were bolstered by Nate Jones, who added 18 points, including critical three-pointers. Both Williams and Jones were named to the AAC All-Conference First Team earlier in the week, and both showed why they were awarded those spots.

The first half ended with Reinhardt up by one point, leading 33-32, setting the stage for a nail-biting second half. The score was tight most of the second half, however, the Bears were able to pull to an eight-point lead with only minutes remaining in the game. Reinhardt chipped away at this lead and a few missed free throws and turnovers led to the Eagles catching Truett in the final seconds.  The ball landed in the Eagles' hands for a final shot at taking the first game, but it wasn't to be as Pearman's final shot touched all of the rim and somehow fell off the side edge, giving the game to the Bears.

This loss marks the end of the season for the Eagles, whose final record stands at 12-17 overall and 9-12 in their conference. The team's journey was highlighted by significant contributions from players like Donovan Pearman, who, along with scoring 11 points, fetched 7 rebounds and 3 steals, and Brasen James with crucial free throws and a total of 16 points.

Despite the defeat, the Eagles' commitment and effort were evident in their aggressive play and statistical achievements throughout the final part of the season. The team had a rough stretch in early January, but they turned things around with a full-court pressing defense and huge offensive numbers. Williams, Jones, James, Fisher, Brown, and others led this effort in creating an exciting season of Reinhart Eagles Basketball.