General 2/22/2024 10:40:00 PM Braden Mottor

Eagles Win in 'The Nest' and Advance to the Region Semi-Finals

Game Recap:
Entering the tournament as the #6 seed, the Eagles knew this weekend would be an uphill battle from start to finish. With their first opponent being the Trinity Baptist College Eagles, they knew game one would be a test. With the regular season matchups being split 1-1 both teams looked for victory in this win-or-go-home game. After the first half was not controlled by either team, PCC came out hot to start the second half. After TBC put together a nearly game-tying run, the Eagles were able to pull away and seal the 68-61 victory and advance to the semifinals!

With a quick 4-0 run to open the game, it took TBC almost 3 minutes to record their first basket. Locked in an early battle the teams went back and for the opening 9 minutes of play. With the Eagles' lead growing to seven after a Stephen Fike layup, TBC quickly put together an 11-0 run to gain a four-point lead with just under 3 minutes remaining in the first half. After a layup by Pack and a three-pointer by Gerdts, the Eagles were back in the driver seat with 1:45 left in the half. With a 9-0 run to end the first, the Eagles commanded a 31-26 lead.

After the break, the Eagles took the first 3 minutes of the second half and used them as a springboard to extend their 5-point lead to a 13-point lead! As the half progressed the Eagles withheld a double-digit lead through the first nearly 9 minutes of the second half. Down 38-48 with 11:10 left in their season, TBC put a quick 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 45-48. But after a made basket from Aaron Wagner the run ended and the Eagles regained their composure. With the lead hovering between 3 and 6 for five minutes the Eagles needed to close this one out. And with a composed finish down the stretch, the Eagles won 68-61 and advanced to the South Region semifinals.

With only 10 bench points and 8 total scorers, the Eagles were led by sophomore Liam Gerdts who recorded his 4^th double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds… and on defense, Gerdts tied his season-high in blocks with 5 rejections! From the backcourt, Kaiden Pack scored 16 points on 7-13 shooting while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 8 assists.

What's Next:
After their quarterfinal victory, the Eagles will be playing against the #2 team in the region Toccoa Falls College at 6:00 PM. With 31 total meetings between the teams, the Eagles are looking to add win number 18 to the Toccoa Falls history.

To follow the Eagles' post-season, follow @eaglespccmbb on Instagram. For complete coverage of all PCC Eagles teams, events, and schedules, follow @eaglespcc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Players Mentioned

#24 Stephen Fike: F; 6' 5"; Junior

#50 Liam Gerdts: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#25 Aaron Wagner: G; 6' 5"; Junior

#15 Kaiden Pack: G; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#24 Stephen Fike
: 6' 5"; Junior
: F

#50 Liam Gerdts
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#25 Aaron Wagner
: 6' 5"; Junior
: G

#15 Kaiden Pack
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: G