From staff reports

Catawba’s men’s basketball team ended its season with an overtime loss at Wingate in the first round of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament.

The 91-85 setback was a season-ender for the sixth-seeded Indians (18-11). The third-seeded Bulldogs (20-9)  move on to a semifinal clash against second-seeded Queens on Saturday at 8 p.m. in Greenville, S.C.

Jameel Taylor had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Catawba attack. Jerrin Morrison added 21 points and nine rebounds, while Malik Constantine contributed 14 points. All three will return next season.

Senior  Troy Warren went out with 12 points and 16 boards.

Catawba, which had smashed Wingate in Goodman Gym a week ago, led by as many as 13 points but couldn’t hold on.

“March is for seniors and we had seniors on the floor who refused to let us lose tonight,” Wingate  coach Brian Good said. “They gave everything they had on both ends and didn’t quit until the buzzer sounded. I thought our second half and overtime were 25 minutes of the best basketball we’ve played.”

Senior  Josh Dominguez  had 22 points and six assists to lead the Wingate attack, going 11-for-11 at the free throw line.

Senior forward Isiah Cureton ( added 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Senior guard Anthanee Doyle  had 17 points, four boards and three assists, hitting four-of-six shots from three-point range while senior Keith Griffin  contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and six blocks.

Griffin was huge at the end and got four layups late in the contest.

Sophomore guard Mike Baez  had 10 points and 10 boards for the Bulldogs.

Catawba had a dominating 23-6 run in the first half and led at halftime, 41-30.

Wingate spent most of the second half battling back.

  A Morrison dunk and a  Taylor three-point play put the Indians on top 73-68 with 1:18 to go, but Griffin made a layup, and Doyle knocked down a tying 3-pointer with 40 seconds left. Neither team scored in the final 40 seconds of regulation.

Wingate kept getting to the foul line in overtime and kept making free throws to pull away.

Both teams shot 40 percent. The rebound battle was even, but that’s a battle Catawba usually wins.

Wingate won my making 25 of 31 free throws. Catawba got 13 points from the foul line.

  

CATAWBA (85) —Taylor 23, Morrison 21,  Constantine 14, Warren 12, Brown 7, Arrington 6, McGregor 2, Sealey, Robinson, McLaughlin.

WINGATE (91) — Dominguez 22, Cureton 21, Doyle 17, Griffin 15, Baez 10, McCall 4, Lolar 2, Williams.

Catawba                   41   32    12     — 85

Wingate                    30   43    18     — 91