Houston's Go-Ahead FT, Clutch Block Let Chargers Escape With Win at Sauk Valley

  Aaron Frey
  Friday, February 2, 2018 9:45 AM
  Athletics

Dixon, IL

Tyler Houston (Knoxville, Ill./Knoxville) came up clutch on both ends of the court Thursday for the Carl Sandburg College men’s basketball team.

Houston drained the go-ahead free throw with just over a minute left and delivered a block in the final seconds as the Chargers escaped with a 61-59 Arrowhead Conference victory at Sauk Valley.

Tied at 59 with 1:02 to play, Houston hit the first of two foul shots to give the Chargers (15-8, 4-1) the lead. Sandburg then got two defensive stops and saw the Skyhawks (13-10, 2-3) miss the front end of a one-and-bonus before Kourtlandt Martin (Evansville, Ind./Central) split a pair of free throws at :05.1 for a 61-59 Sandburg lead.

Houston then blocked Trevor Adams’ game-winning 3-point attempt in the closing seconds as the Chargers sealed their fifth win in six games. The sophomore guard finished with 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks.

Matt Wendling (Athens, Ill./Athens) led the Chargers with 16 points and five rebounds. Martin added 13 points, and freshman forward Deandrey Robinson (Peoria, Ill./Peoria) scored 10.

Anthony Martinez had a game-high 19 points to pace Sauk Valley.

The Chargers will travel to play St. Ambrose JV at 7 p.m. tonight before a rematch against Sauk Valley at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at John M. Lewis Gymnasium. Sandburg is alone in second place — one game behind unbeaten Highland — midway through the Arrowhead schedule.