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By Ryan Schlehuber, ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Sportswriter

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With 34 seconds left in the game, Taylen Carver gave the ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Centurions a chance to come back against the North Central Michigan College Timberwolves, Saturday, Feb. 22.Ìý

The freshman guard from Louisville, Ky. hit a layup to draw the Centurions to 60-56, and, eight seconds later, drained two free throws after a technical foul by NCMC’s Quentin Hillaker.Ìý

However, with 20 seconds to go, ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ had to resort to intentionally fouling to stop the clock, but NCMC drained three free throws to clinch the game, 63-58.ÌýÌý

Despite the loss, and with one game to go in the regular season, the Centurions (6-7 ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½AA Northern, 12-15 overall) can still clinch fourth place in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association, still a game ahead of 5-8 Delta College.ÌýÌý

The Timberwolves (3-10 ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½AA Northern, 3-24 overall) have now won three out of the last four since snapping a 23-game losing streak to start out the season.ÌýÌý

After only being behind 30-25 at halftime, ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ fell further behind, 36-25, when Jackson Raymond hit a three-pointer just 3:30 into the second half. However, freshman forward Brayden Clark (Carson City, Mich.) rebounded freshman teammate Caleb Clements’ (Greenville, Mich.) missed shot and put the ball back in on a dunk.ÌýÌý

ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ cut it to 38-32 after freshman guard Mason Dunn (Big Rapids, Mich.) hit a three-point shot with 16:08 to go, but NCMC would go on a 9-0 run, taking a 47-32 lead with 11:58 to go when Jaylen Williams hit a layup.Ìý

Three minutes later, with ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ down 49-35, Dunn’s brother, Dawson (Big Rapids, Mich.), hit a three-point shot, which started a 12-0 scoring run, which was capped off by a Geronimo Mazzi (Villa Ramallo, Argentina) layup that dwindled NCMC’s lead to 49-47 with 6:06 to go.Ìý

Hillaker made it 56-50, sinking both free throws after Mozzi fouled him with 2:49 to go. A minute later, Carver was fouled by Hillaker, which he turned into two points, hitting both free throws, to cut the deficit to four with 1:53 to go.Ìý

Carver finished with 24 points, six rebounds and two steals, and Clark had seven points and three rebounds. Mason Dunn finished with five points and seven rebounds.Ìý

NCMC shot 44.7% (21-of-47) from the floor while ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ shot 40.4% (21-of-52). ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ outrebounded NCMC, 32-29, and both teams tied with turnovers at 16, but NCMC won the points-off-turnovers battle, 18-7.Ìý

Neither team shot well from the three-point line, with ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ shooting 5-of-20 to NCMC’s 6-of-17. Though ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ outscored NCMC in the paint, 32-26, the Timberwolves took the bench scoring advantage, 36-15.Ìý

Carver led all scorers with 24 points and collected six rebounds, while Clark had seven points and three rebounds to lead the Centurions. Mason Dunn finished with five points and seven rebounds.Ìý

The Timberwolves were led by Williams, who came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points, earning six assists, as well. He was followed by Hillaker, who also came off the bench, scoring 14 points.ÌýÌý

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UP NEXT: The Centurions will try to lock up the fourth seed in the ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½AA Northern division by earning a win in their last game of the regular season, at home, against Kirtland Community College (4-9 ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½AA Northern, 5-14 overall), Wednesday, Feb. 26. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.Ìý