With all the moves Isaiah Bailey possesses – ranging from spinning, fading and driving in the lane – the Compton, Calif. sophomore on Monday night did his best work standing still.
Bailey’s 12-of-14 effort from the free-throw line – including eight of those makes in the game’s final three minutes – boosted Angelina College’s Roadrunners to a 92-89 win over Arkansas Baptist in a thriller at Shands Gymnasium.
Bailey gave the ‘Runners their final lead at 90-89 with a free throw, then scored AC’s next six points from the line. When the Buffaloes wouldn’t fade away late, Bailey converted two more freebies, and teammates Corinthian Ramsey and Kyndall Powell sealed the win with four free throws in the final 30 seconds.
Bailey finished with a team-high 18 points; Ramsey added 17, Gary Blackston 15, and Powell and Robert Lewis contributed 12 points each. Vic Bell helped rouse the crowd with a pair of highlight-reel, put-back dunks, finishing with seven rebounds off the bench.
Deontae Woodbridge led the Buffs with 23 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Harold Cardwell and Anthony Black with 15 points each.
The Roadrunners had to overcome a hot-shooting Buffalo team, with AC falling behind by as many as 10 points late in the first half. Arkansas Baptist extended its lead to 12 points early in the second, but the ‘Runners put together a 12-4 run to close the gap. A Blackston trey at 4:06 tied the score at 77-77, and Quenton Bush gave AC its first lead with a baby hook at the 3:42 mark. Bailey, Ramsey and Powell then closed out the home win with their work at the line.
The Roadrunners (6-2) host the Guy Davis Thanksgiving Classic beginning on Friday. Panola College and Odessa College tip off at 5 p.m., with AC taking on Southwestern Christian College at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the tournament concludes with Panola and SWCC at 2 p.m., with the Roadrunners and Odessa College playing at 4 p.m.
