Portland Falls in Double Overtime Thriller to a Pesky Charlotte Crew

Portland came into Friday night's game on a two game winning streak with wins over Ithaca and Fowler. They were playing some of their best basketball and were looking forward to competing hard with league opponent Charlotte.

The Raiders jumped out to a blazing hot start, taking advantage of the Orioles 2-3 zone. Luke Nobis had the hot hand early drilling not one, but two 3-point buckets giving Portland a comfortable lead. Arnau Lopez contributed to the Raiders scoring adding a couple tough shots, forcing Charlotte to call a timeout just a couple minutes into the contest. Charlotte’s, Aidan Holmes kept the Raiders from pulling away, making a couple layups. Portland was leading 16-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Charlotte was able to build momentum throughout the second quarter, taking the lead midway through the second quarter. They battled for loose balls making big plays defensively which prevented the Raiders from creating any sort of consistency on offense. Sophomore, Point Quard Marc Nobis lifted the Raiders from an offensive slump by hitting a contested three. Trevor Williams earned himself an and-one opportunity which gave the Raiders some energy heading into the break.

Portland turned to Junior guard, Trent Meyers for the majority of their offensive production, early in the second half. Whenever Charlotte seemed to gain momentum, Meyers would hit a tough shot, silencing the opposing crowd. Charlotte Guard, Kyle Sandusky led the Orioles offense, draining tough jump shots left and right. Portland’s sharpshooter Arnau Lopez didn’t shy away from the challenge as he drilled a game tying three as the buzzer sounded.

The Raiders opened the fourth quarter playing some stifling defense, which prevented Charlotte from finding any success on offense. Marc Nobis sank a clutch three, extending Portland’s lead to 5 early in the 4th. The Orioles remained persistent, pressing the Raiders on defense and making the big shot when it mattered the most. Luke Nobis hit a dagger to extend the Raider’s lead to 8 points just under the 2 minute mark. Charlotte’s, Jeremy Lavalley scored a layup and stole the ball on the next possession, scoring yet again, which shrunk Portland’s lead to 2. Portland turned the ball over late giving the Orioles an opportunity to tie or take the lead. The Orioles were fouled and they converted at the line, tying the game at 61 at the end of regulation.

Overtime was a back and forth battle with both teams playing with everything they had. Marc Nobis finished off his terrific shooting night with another corner 3. Orioles forward, Chase Oversmith re-energized the Charlotte squad, keeping them in the game. Raiders guard, Lopez used some crafty passing to find Meyers in the lane for an easy layup. However, Lavalley tied the game right back up, forcing the game to double OT.

The Raiders dug themselves into some heavy foul trouble late in the contest, which ultimately led to their defeat. Charlotte fought their way to an comfortable lead, converting on free throw opportunities and making shots when they mattered most. The Raiders fell 70-78 in Double Overtime.

Leading the Raiders on the night were Arnau Lopez with 20 points, Trent Meyers with 17 points and Luke Nobis with 11 points including three 3-point buckets. The Orioles were led by Jeremy Lavalley with 19 points.