Lamar State College-Port Arthur coach Lance Madison watched Freddie Williams Jr. miss a dunk the last time the Seahawks played at the Carl Parker Center.
Williams did not miss the slam opportunity Wednesday and it propelled the Seahawks to a 73-68 overtime-victory against the San Jacinto College Ravens.
There was a specific reason for the dunk. Williams threw down the jam as a message to the crowd on hand to watch the Seahawks knock off the Region XIV South Zone leading Ravens.
“I had to let them (fans) know to keep coming to the games,” Williams said. “Keep on coming.”
San Jacinto (16-5, 8-3) remained in first place despite the loss yet had its nine-game win streak snapped. The Seahawks (14-7, 7-4) are winners of their last five games.
LSC-PA led by as many as 15, 49-34, in the second half only to watch San Jac claw back into the game.
Ilker Er hit two three-pointers late in the game for the Ravens and Jerrell Cooke tied the contest at 59-59 with 1:16 left in regulation.
It would stay that score heading into overtime.
Seahawks sophomore Jordon Harris opened the extra period with a trey and at 3:25 Williams dunk gave LSC-PA a 64-61 lead.
Madison admitted he was cheering for Williams to go for a layup to make sure the Seahawks got two points but didn’t mind the dunk once the ball went through the net.
“I had seen him miss one the last home game,” Madison said. “It was a momentum play for us. Freddie played well for us tonight. He is not real muscular but he gets in there and gets some tough rebounds. He is probably my most improved player since last year.”
Harris then scored the game’s next four points to push the Seahawks ahead 70-64.
The 9-0 was in response to a San Jac basket that gave the Ravens its first lead of the night at 61-59 to open overtime.
Harris finished with 23 points while Nederland native Colton Weisbrod had 21 points and 14 rebounds. Mambi Diawara added 17 points and 11 boards and Williams finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
It was announced earlier Wednesday Weisbrod was named NJCAA DI National Player of the Week for his play last week.
Er led the Ravens with 14 points as San Jac was 21 of 70 from the field and 9 of 24 from behind the arc.
LSC-PA was 27 of 72 shooting, 5 of 21 from three and 14 of 29 from the free throw line.
“We have been waiting on this game,” Harris said. “They (Ravens) are leading the South so we had to come out and make a statement that we can play with anybody. It took a lot of heart and toughness. Coach Madison preaches that in practice every day.”
Several players for the Seahawks played with four fouls for quite some time Wednesday as LSC-PA went with a six-man rotation. Harris was the only Seahawks player to foul out and Christian Albright played the last 16 minutes of regulation and the OT frame with four fouls.
“It was tought,” Albright said. “Yesterday in practice we did a great drill that was about boxing out and rebounding with no fouls. That really helped us in the game tonight to box out and not give those guys second opportunities.”
San Jac had 56 rebounds, the same amount as LSC-PA, and only 16 of those were offensive.
The Seahawks return to the court at 4 p.m. Saturday with a road trip to face Blinn College. Blinn was 14-7 and 4-7 heading into Wednesday.