Hartsville, S.C. – For the first time in more than five years the Coker Cobras defeated the Pfeiffer Falcons 85-81, giving Coker their second straight Conference Carolinas win of the season. Coker battled back from as much as a 14 point deficit, and was down by nine points with just nine minutes remaining, before taking a four point lead with just 1:15 remaining in the game.

Coker (6-6, 2-3 Conf. Carolinas) was not handed the win, as Pfeiffer’s (5-6, 2-2 Conf. Carolinas) Jeff Pettiway and Robert McGriff had chances to put the game within one with just 30 seconds left and then Pettiway missed a three pointer with just three seconds left, which would have tied the game at 84. Then after a foul with just a second and half left, Mason Ambler (Atlanta, GA) hit one of two free throws, making it a two possession game and putting the win out of the Falcons reach.

It was a back and forth, fast paced game that saw 11 lead changes and six ties, with Pfeiffer mounting an early first half advantage, and taking a seven point lead into halftime. But Coker came out of the locker room with a renewed spirit and quickly erased the Falcon lead and took one of their own. With a pair of baskets from Ambler, three pointers from Lukas Varga (Pawley’s Island, SC) and Josh Poston (Myrtle Beach, SC) and a steal by Vatrick Thompson (Columbia, SC) for was leading for the first time since the 16th minute of the game. Pfeiffer was able to bounce back and they ran their lead back to nine, but Coker would not be shut down, as Poston and Ambler led the charge that eventually lead to the Coker win.

Ambler was the Cobras leading scorer with a double-double, netting 22 points with 10 rebounds, while Poston had 17 points, nine from beyond the arc, while dishing out three assists. Stevie Evans (Columbia, SC) had a season high night, dropping in 15 big points off the bench for Coker, with three assists. The fourth Cobra in double figures was Varga, with 12 points and four assists, while Thompson robbed the Falcons all night long, grabbing seven steals, while putting up nine points and grabbing four rebounds in the game.

McGriff was the game high scorer, netting 28 points for Pfeiffer with seven rebounds, while Athalie Rivera had 10 points and Alvin Slaton had seven points.

Coker will now take a week off, before traveling to Belmont Abbey next Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. game, while Pfeiffer will take on Mount Olive on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.