CUMBERLAND — Saturday’s game at Bob Kirk Arena came down to basic math — three points are worth more than two.
Harcum knocked down 11 3-pointers in the second half and 20 overall, leading to a 106-84 win over Allegany College.
“Really loved the team effort in the first half,” ACM head coach Tommie Reams said. “We’re tied at 40 at halftime. I thought our guys were really paying attention to the details, trying to do all of the little things. In the second half, it’s easy to say Harcum comes out shooting the cover off the basketball.”
The story of the game was how the Bears (21-5) rained in triples over the final 20 minutes to take command.
Harcum opened the second half on a 20-7 run to take a 60-47 lead with 16:20 to play.
The closest the Trojans (11-17) got to a comeback was within 10 points on a runner from Jaylen Brown with 12:08 left.
Allegany made three triples in the second half and five overall, scoring the vast majority of its 44 second-half points either by free throws or layups.
Harcum made 24 field goals after halftime and 11 were from beyond the arc (46%).
“When they’re scoring 3s like that and you’re trading baskets, the deficit keeps mounting little bit by little bit,” Reams said. “But what we were trying to get our guys to understand was as much as that 3-ball hurt us, what it really did was allowing them to get down hill. All that started from over-protecting that 3-point line.”
While the second half got out of hand quickly, the first half was anyone’s game.
Tuesday at Garrett, neither team led by more than five points in the half that featured nine ties and three lead changes.
The first half was reminiscent of Tuesday’s final 20 minutes of regulation as Saturday’s opening 20 featured six ties and five lead changes.
The Trojans trailed 9-2 early before answering with a 16-7 run to take an 18-16 lead with 10:16 left in the half.
Neither team led by more than five points the rest of the half.
“I think that’s the level of competitiveness that comes with the rivalry in the East District,” Reams said. “Us and Harcum, Monroe, Hagerstown, you name whoever it is, there’s that rivalry where we want to try and one-up each other. That level of competitiveness seeps every possession.”
Despite Harcum’s 20 triples and 106 points, the Bears did not have anyone surpass 20 points.
Six players ended in double figures led by Bahsil Laster’s 19.
Cory Lovell (17), Nick Jones (16), Kendall Allen (14), Ademar De Oliviera Santos (12) and Cyril Obasogie (10) also hit double figures for the Bears.
Jones, Allen and Santos hit four 3-pointers each, followed by Lovell’s 3.
Alex Byrd scored 22 points in the second half and led all scorers with 32 points for the Trojans, also grabbing 13 rebounds.
Jaylen Brown finished with 10 points, 14 assists and five rebounds.
Reams discussed the similarities in play styles from Jaylen Brown to last year’s point guard Cam Brown, now at Division I Coppin State, who finished second nationally with 110 steals and third with 234 assists.
“Jaylen’s a little more offense oriented while Cam was a better defensive player,” Reams said. “Those guys bring a level of offensive execution and creativity to get everybody else involved. Byrd is developing into a really nice offensive player, he’s doing it inside and out. I thought today he did a great job of getting to his spots, playing within himself.”
Gabe Jones finished with 14 points and a steal while Justin Turner scored all 10 of his in the first half.
Turner and Trell Artis were recognized pregame for Sophomore Day.
Both players were on last year’s squad that played in the national tournament with a 26-8 record and won the East District and Region 20 championships.
“Trell comes in and playing a limited role and shows up every day, works his tail off. This year, he comes into the season and his role’s expanded and has, unfortunately, an injury that ends his season prematurely. Instead of packing it in and disappearing, the kid shows up and works every day for us.”
ACM heads to Baltimore City on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before a rematch at Harcum to end the regular season on Friday at 6 p.m.