Tony Taylor hit the game-winner for the Colonials. Photo by Anne Wernikoff/Assistant Photo Editor
With less than 90 seconds to play and GW leading Towson by three points this evening, sophomore Tony Taylor went to the free-throw line for two shots, a chance to give his team a two-possession lead and a small amount of much-needed breathing room.
And then he missed both shots.
But after Towson’s Josh Thornton knocked down a three on the other end to tie the score, head coach Karl Hobbs knew who he wanted handling the ball on the Colonials’ next possession.
“We wanted to keep the ball in Tony’s hands,” Hobbs said after the game. “We didn’t want a turnover. We wanted to make sure that we could get a shot.”
Much like he did on the previous possession, Taylor dribbled through most of the shot clock, meandering around and between defenders looking for the right shot. Then, with 27 seconds on the clock, he stopped at the top of the key, picked up his dribble, and buried a jumper to give the Colonials a lead they would hold through the final buzzer for a 73-69 win.
“It felt like a big relief,” Taylor said of making the shot. “I shouldn’t be missing free throws or as many shots as I did today, but it happens.”
Perhaps just as importantly for GW (7-2) was the play made by freshman Bryan Bynes on the other end of the floor following Taylor’s shot.
The Tigers called a timeout before their next possession, drawing up a play that ultimately put the ball in Thornton’s hands for another three. Bynes guarded Thornton closely – a risky proposition, Hobbs acknowledged, given how tightly the game was being officiated – and ultimately forced him to heave up an off-balance shot that fell well short of the basket.
“Having the wherewithal to stay on his feet, the way the game was being officiated, that he maintained his poise, held his ground – it was just a terrific defensive play by Bryan,” Hobbs said.
The Colonials secured the ensuing loose ball and pushed it up the floor, where sophomore Aaron Ware added an uncontested layup to arrive at the game’s final four-point margin.
GW maintained a relatively steady lead throughout most of the game, taking a lead just over six minutes into the game that they held until Thornton’s game-tying shot with just over one minute remaining.
The game’s pace of play was a far cry from Wednesday’s wild loss to Providence in which the teams combined for more than 200 points, but Hobbs said today’s win was a more accurate representation of what should be expected going forward.
“I don’t remember the last time we scored 97 points so please don’t compare anything to that,” Hobbs said with a laugh. “This was more in our range in terms of scoring.”
Senior Damian Hollis’ 13 points led GW while freshman Tim Johnson added 12, with Hollis and Ware tying for the team lead in rebounds with seven. Taylor and junior Joseph Katuka each scored nine points and redshirt junior Travis King scored eight.
The win comes in the first of four straight road games for the Colonials, who will next travel to East Carolina Dec. 22 before two games in Massachusetts against Holy Cross (Dec. 28) and Harvard (Dec. 30).
Taylor said the timing of Saturday’s victory was important.
“We needed this one,” he said. “We needed this one going into finals and I’m just happy for this win. Any way we can get it, we just got to.”
Notes: This was the third straight game in which the Colonials allowed their opponents to make 10 or more three-pointers… Redshirt sophomore Jabari Edwards did not play today and had his knee wrapped with ice after the game. Hobbs said the extent of the injury is not certain at this time but he’s hoping that it is a short-term problem. Edwards has been plagued by injuries during his GW career… Freshman David Pellom led GW with four assists in the game.
Thats My Son
Check on T.T. on the game winning shot..