Prince George's Men's Basketball Drops Overtime Battle To Harford, 98-93

LARGO, Md. – The Prince George's Community College put it all on the court on Wednesday. Mykal Johnson (Seat Pleasant, Md./Charles H. Flowers) helped to erupt the Novak Field House faithful with a layup as time expired in regulation to send the game to overtime, but Harford Community College edged the Owls in the extra session to earn a 98-93 victory in Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference (MD JUCO) men's basketball action.

Johnson paced Prince George's (15-10, 6-8 MD JUCO) with 24 points and 12 rebounds in what could be his final game at Novak Field House. In his career, Johnson has reached double figures in 52 of his 57 career games including 25 games with 20 points or more. The sophomore will enter his next game 26 points shy of the 1,000-point plateau. Johnson also notched his eighth double-double this season.

Gus Stone (Baltimore, Md./North County) also registered a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Kennith Ford (Forestville, Md./National Collegiate) added 21 points and Shiloh Beale (Waldorf, Md./St. Charles) tied a career-high 19 points in the loss.

Stone reached double figures for the 36th time in his career and 21st contest with at least 20 points while also recording his second career double-double. Ford has 37 double-digit point games in his career and six 20-point outbursts. Beale tied his career best of 19 points at College of Southern Maryland on Jan. 28 and has posted at least 10 points in each of his last five games.

Trailing 82-80 in the waning seconds of regulation, Johnson weaved his way into the lane and scored off the glass as time expired to send the game to an extra five minutes. Beale gave the Largo program its only lead in overtime with two free throws with 2:15 on the clock at 87-86. The Fighting Owls scored the four points and never trailed again. Prince George's was able to trim the margin to one point three times in the final two minutes, but Harford scored the final five points of the night to earn the victory.

In the first half with the scored tied at 23, Prince George's used a 13-2 run to take its largest lead at 36-25 with 4:40 left in the stanza. Ford powered the run with seven points including a trey to give the home team the 11-point advantage.

Harford answered with a 10-3 spurt to trim the margin to 39-35, but the Owls closed the half by outscoring the Fighting Owls 9-2 to go into the locker room with a 48-37 lead. Stone had a pair of baskets to fuel the run while Beale drained a triple to end the half.

In the first nine minutes of the second half, Harford went on a 19-7 run to take a 56-55 edge. The two teams would wrestle for the upper hand the rest of regulation before Johnson sent the game to overtime where Harford won the contest.

With the loss, Prince George's needs help to make the MD JUCO Tournament hosted by Prince George's on Feb. 15-18 at Novak Field House. If the Owls do not qualify for the tournament Wednesday's night game was their final home game, but the squad will participate in the National Junior College Athletic Conference Region XX Division III Tournament hosted by Westmoreland County on Feb. 23-25.

Prior to the game, Prince George's honored sophomores Ford, Stone, Johnson, Brian Ferguson (Olney, Md./James H. Blake), Paul Golder (Laurel, Md./Laurel), James Hagins (Roanoke, Va./William Fleming) and Tavon Ngangum (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook..