Battlin' Bears bow out of NAIA final 8
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rocky Mountain College rallied from an 11-point second half deficit to pull within two in the closing seconds Saturday, but the Battlin’ Bears fell 60-55 to Langston (Okla. ) in the NAIA men’s basketball national quarterfinals Saturday.
Orlando Thomas knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:13 left to put Langston up 54-44 before Omari Nesbit started a quick comeback for Rocky with a triple. Nesbit hit two more from deep to make it 55-53 with 27 seconds left and was fouled on another long ball with a chance to make it a one-point game. He went 2-for-3 from the line to cut it to 57-55, but the Bears got no closer.
Thomas and Jaden Williams hit three free throws in the final seconds to seal the win and send Langston into the national semifinals Monday against Ave Maria (Fla. ). Thomas led the Lions with 14 points, Jay Wilson added 12 off the bench.
Nesbit had 21 to guide the Battlin’ Bears; Royce Robinson tallied 16 and Carter McCoy had 10. Rocky finished the season 31-4.