Tweet #theGAC  BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – For the second time in as many days, Henderson State overcame an eight-point, second-half deficit as the Reddies came back and defeated Southeastern Oklahoma State, 76-73, in Saturday’s second Great American Conference Men’s Basketball Championship semifinal contest.
 
Trailing 64-56 with just over six minutes remaining, the Reddies (22-8) scored 20 of the games final 29 points to reach the final of the GAC Championships for the second time in program history. That year, they lost a double-overtime contest to Harding.
 
The rally stared with a 3-pointer by Chris Parker. Raekwon Rogers followed with a second-chance basket. After an Adam Dworsky free throw, Anthony Lupardus pulled the Reddies to within one, 65-64, on a 3-pointer from the right wing. Kellen Manek made two free throws before Rel Johnson leveled the contest a 67 with his third 3-point field goal of the game.
 
Dworsky put the Savage Storm (23-8) back in front with a 3-pointer of his own. Parker responded with a 3-point play on the ensuing possession. The Reddies gained a two-point lead on a layup by Jeremiah Toney.
 
After a missed 3-point try by Kevin Buckingham, Dworsky made his second 3-pointer of the contest to give the Savage Storm their final lead of the game. Mike Fofana drew the fifth foul on Buckingham with 18 seconds left and converted the two free throws to put the Reddies up 74-73.
 
Kayo Goncalves, who went 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc missed on Southeastern’s next possession. Two free throws by Parker forced the Savage Storm to try a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer. A’Torey Everett’s heave from inside half court missed wide of the target.
 
Parker led four Reddies in double figures with 19 points. He added six rebounds and five assists. Johnson added 17 followed by 14 from Rogers and 13 from Fofana.
 
Dworsky and Goncalves each scored 21 points. Dworsky added 10 assists for his eighth double-double while Goncalves notched his GAC-leading 10^th double-double after he grabbed 11 rebounds. Manek registered a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Buckingham went 0-for-7 from the field and did not score a point in only 16 minutes of action.
 
Henderson State faces Oklahoma Baptist at 1:00 PM on Sunday. The Reddies and Bison split their two regular-season meetings as both won on their home floors. The Bison and Reddies entered the week rated eight and ninth, respectively, in the NCAA Central Region rankings. The Savage Storm placed third and awaiting earning an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year.