Brandon Williams scored 27 points to lead a furious second half rally as the Mid-America Christian Evangels opened the 2010-11 campaign with an 84-78 win over the Sterling Warriors Friday night (Nov. 5) at the Gaulke Activity Center. The Evangels trailed 75-73 with 1:42 to go when Williams pulled up and tied the score with a mid-range jumper and then put MACU ahead with a three off a turnover with 1:15 left.
After Raheem Odomes cut the lead to one with 51 seconds left, Williams drew a foul and calmly stepped to the line and sank a pair of freebies with 44 ticks left.
The Evangels then led by two after Mark Swiontek split a pair at the line when Camilo Valencia and Nathan Pratt put the game out of reach by each hitting two free throws over the final 30 seconds.
A dunk by George Haynes with one second left in the opening half gave the Evangels a 36-35 lead heading into the break, but Cody Brazelton and Raheem Odomes combined for 13 points to lead a 15-4 charge for the Warriors to open the second half and open up a 53-40 advantage.
MACU then fought back to within a point on the strength of a 15-3 spurt with 8:42 left.
The next six minutes went back-and-forth, with the Warriors (0-1) holding onto the lead until Haynes tied it at 73-73 with a layup with 1:52 left.
Williams' 27 points equaled a game-high with Odomes of the Warriors.
Pratt reached double-figures with 15 points, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Camilo Valencia scored 13 on 13-of-14 from the free-throw line and also dished out a game-high four assists.
Pratt and Amadasun each led the Evangels (1-0) with six boards.
Brazelton scored 20 for the Warriors along with a game-high seven rebounds. Adam Brown chipped in with 18.
The Evangels' press helped force 27 Warrior turnovers on the night.
Next up for MACU is a home matchup against Oklahoma Wesleyan on Tuesday night (Nov. 9) at 7:30 p.m.
