The Stormers mismanaged a halftime lead on their home court to fall to the Golden Eagles of Rock Valley College 83-78 on Saturday, Feb. 22. It was the Stormers’ final home game of an up and down but constantly exciting season.

The midgame break came with the Stormers up 47-36 but it was the Golden Eagles who scored 47 in the second half while the Stormers could only muster 31. It was the sort of effort that was rather emblematic of the Stormers’ entire season, a season that earlier saw them snap an eight game losing streak by winning the next six in a row; a season where they won two-thirds of games on their own floor and one-third anywhere else.
The two teams in this game matched up fairly evenly in most statistical categories except for one, rebounds. The Golden Eagles finished with 48 to the Stormers’ 38 and were able to convert 16 second chance points, which made all the difference in the final score.

Rock Valley was led by the efforts of forward Jared Mayes and center Jack Harrison. Mayes was the lead scorer of the game with 24 points and Harrison was the lead rebounder with 13. Harrison finished with 15 points.

Forward Terrell Hayes led the Stormers with 22 points and eight rebounds. Forward Troy Spears matched Hayes’ eight boards and put up 10 points of his own. Guard Arthell Rosquist ran the show offensively with 11 points and six assists while center Edmond Franklin set the tone early on defensively with two blocks and two steals in only 11 minutes of action.
The game marked the Stormers’ second loss to the Golden Eagles in a little over three weeks after the January 29, 91-72 effort at Rock Valley. MATC was outrebounded in that one as well.