WAYNESBURG, Pa. – The Thiel College men's basketball team defeated the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets, 55-50, in overtime in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game on Monday.
 
In the first half, the two teams were tied at 11-11. The Tomcats scored five unanswered points to gain a 16-11 lead. Thiel held the lead until halftime, but the Yellow Jackets remained close as the Tomcats led 26-23.
 
In the second half, Waynesburg took a 28-26 lead in the first four minutes. The teams remained deadlocked, as no team led by more than four in the half and the game was tied at six different times, including at the end of regulation. Marlon Ellerbee (Temple Hills, Md./Oxon Hill) hit a free throw with six seconds remaining to tie the game 44-44 and send the contest into overtime.
 
In overtime, the Tomcats began the scoring with a layup from Ellerbee. The Yellow Jackets answered to tie the game at 46 until Daquan Simmons (Capitol Heights, Md./Central) hit two free throws with 3:01 to play to give Thiel the 48-46 lead. The two teams remained scoreless for nearly two minutes until Simmons struck again with a three-pointer to give the Tomcats a 51-46 lead.
 
After two free throws and a layup, the Yellow Jackets drew within one with 23 seconds remaining. John Aarestrup (Miami, Fla./Archbishop Coleman Carroll) then hit two clutch free throws with 20 seconds left to give the Tomcats a 53-50 lead. The Yellow Jackets could not convert on the game-tying three as Ethan Barnes (Boynton Beach, Fla./Suncoast) grabbed the rebound. Ellerbee was fouled and hit two insurance free throws with two seconds left to clinch the Tomcat win.
 
For the Tomcats, Simmons led the team with 16 points on 4-of-9 shooting, including three three-pointers and grabbed five boards. Ahmad Tejumola (Waldorf, Md./Saint Charles) notched his 11th double-double of the season with 12 points and 14 rebounds. He also led the Tomcats with three assists. Rayshod Hooper (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) scored 10 points. Ellerbee tallied seven points and seven rebounds. Beni Lavodrama (Washington, D.C./Phelps ACE) also added seven rebounds, two blocks, and an assist.
 
For the Yellow Jackets, Matt Popeck scored 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 4-for-8 on three-pointers and five rebounds.
 
The Tomcats have now won three-straight games. With just two games to play, the Tomcats are tied in the PAC standings with the Grove City Wolverines and are just half a game behind the Franciscan Barons. The Tomcats host the Barons on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in what could be a crucial game for conference seeding.