SE Holds off Mines to Win Hoops in Hawaii Finale

HONOLULU, Hi. – No. 21/22 Southeastern survived a defensive slugfest to pick up a 59-57 over Colorado Mines in the finale of the 2019 Hoops in Hawaii Classic early Sunday morning in Honolulu, Hi.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 8-2 on the season as they will head into the Christmas Break before hitting the court again on Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. against Friends University in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
Following the conclusion of the tournament, Kevin Buckingham was named the tournament MVP while Adam Dworsky was a second team All-Tournament selection.
 
Despite the victory, the 59-point effort is the lowest offensive output for SE this season after shooting 39.2 percent from the field.
 
The Storm defense responded by holding the Orediggers to 57 points which is the second-fewest points allowed in a game by SE this year while allowing a 35.5 percent shooting effort.
 
Buckingham put up a game-high 18 points to lead the way, hitting 6-of-12 with a pair of threes, while Bobby Johnson had a season-high 13 points off the bench and Dworsky chipped in 11 points.
 
Kellen Manek handed out a team-high five assists while Dworsky finished with a season low of three.
 
Buckingham and Al Ervin led the way on the glass with seven rebounds each while Manek hauled in six.
 
The Orediggers took the early lead and SE would not swipe it back until the 15:15 mark on an A'Torey Everett bucket which put the Storm up 9-7.
 
Mines would regain the lead but SE would keep it within one possession until it used a 7-0 run capped by a Buckingham three to regain the lead and go up 18-14 with 9:18 to play.
 
The Storm would take its biggest lead at 23-16 on a Manek three with 5:23 to go in the half, and would not trail the remainder of the half before taking a 33-28 lead to the break.

The Orediggers opened the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 36-33 lead early, but SE would take the lead back for good with 14:51 to play on a Buckingham layup that was part of a 6-0 run.
 
Mines would tie the game at 40-40 with 12:24 to play, but a Dwosrky three would be the first points of a 6-0 run to take a 46-40 lead.
 
The lead would stay within two possessions, with SE holding a five-point edge with 37 seconds to play.
 
A Mines three with 26 seconds left would cu the Southeastern lead to two points and the Orediggers would steal the ball with 15 seconds to play and have the final shot but the Storm defense stood stout and the final shot was off the mark, preserving a 59-57 Storm victory.