Animashaun's 46, Key Block Spur Vikings to Overtime Win

Animashaun's 46, Key Block Spur Vikings to Overtime Win

WESTFIELD, Mass.  –   Hakeem Animashaun (Dedham, Mass.) scored a career-high 46 points and added a key block late as Salem State clipped Westfield State 103-101 in overtime in a MASCAC men's basketball game at the Woodward Center on Saturday afternoon. Westfield State's Jauch Green Jr. (Hartford, Conn.) and  Animashaun staged an epic scoring duel, each with more than 40 points.  

Animashaun scored 46 points, tied for seventh most in a NCAA Division III game this season, on 17-23 scoring in the low post and 12-16 free throws, and grabbed 13 rebounds. He added three blocked shots, including thwarting Green on the Owls last chance drive to try to tie or win the game at the end of the overtime period. Green tallied 43 points, on 15 of 27 shooting and 13-17 shooting at the foul line, and grabbed 14 rebounds.  

Westfield led 55-47 at the half, and held an 80-69 lead after a three-point play from Green with 7:14 left in the game. Salem battled back to finally tie the game at 86-all on an Animashaun layup with 2:02 to play.  The two teams went to overtime tied at 88 all, as Salem's Melvin Worley (Innovation Adac./Lowell, Mass.) tied the game on a drive with 14 seconds left.

With the game tied at 101 after a pair of free throws from Green with 21 seconds left in OT, Animashaun was fouled on a drive with five seconds left, and hit both free throws to give Salem the lead.  Westfield's Green attempted to go coast-to-coast on the final play, but Animashaun blocked his scooping shot at the buzzer. Temitope Bailey (West Springfield, Mass.) added 15 points and 12 rebounds for Salem, which improved to 10-8 and 4-1 in the MASCAC.   

Westfield got 17 points from Malik Pouncey (Mattapan, Mass.) and 14 from Marcus Collins (Cambridge, Mass.).  Christopher Prophet (Springfield, Mass.) dished out nine assists for Westfield, and Justin Rennis (Springfield, Mass.) gave the Owls a big game off the bench with eight points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.