Jonathan Rumph scored 35 of Brookland– Cayce’s 69 points against A.C. Flora. Part yell and part growl, A.C. Flora coach Austin Coleman’s utterance midway through the first half was all frustration.

Coleman had run guards in and out for much of the first quarter in a search of someone to run the Falcons’ offense against a new–look full– court press by Brookland– Cayce.

Then came a particularly ugly sequence of turnovers, prompting Coleman to ask, essentially, if anyone was interested in running the offense.

“With our point guards, someone has to step up and want the ball and know what to do with it,” Coleman said. “I want guys who want to go get the ball, not guys who want to get rid of it as soon as they get it in a pressure situation.”

Apparently, Lamont Todd got the message.

The senior stepped up in the fourth quarter, helping the Falcons commit only three turnovers and scoring 14 of his team–high 20 points. And A.C. Flora (6–4) needed both contributions to hold off the Bearcats, 72–69, Tuesday night at the Falcons gym.

A.C. Flora’s Marquise Simuel goes in for a lay up against Brookland–Cayce’s John Coughlin. Photos by Mike Maddock “Coach kept trying to get us to take care of the ball, work together, play as a team,” Todd said of the first half. “We guards have to work on handling pressure – especially at key points in the game. Our turnovers have been decreasing lately. We have to keep doing that.”

Todd’s observation has merit. The Falcons committed 17 turnovers against the Bearcats, but, critically, only seven in the second half. In contrast, Brookland–Cayce committed 31 turnovers, including six in a five– minute span across the third and fourth quarters during which A.C. Flora transformed a one–possession game into a ninepoint lead, 56–47. That margin was the largest lead by either team.

A.C. Flora’s Terrance Segars drives to the basket against Brookland–Cayce. The advantage was just large enough to keep Brookland–Cayce at bay, although the Bearcats were within three points throughout the final three minutes thanks to four 3–pointers from Jonathan Rumph. Rumph finished with 35 points including 16 in the final quarter. However, Vince Odom was the only other Bearcat in double figures; he finished with 10.

“We have struggled all year offensively,” Brookland–Cayce coach Ricky Bouknight said. “Unfortunately, we are a one–man show right now, and we haven’t had anyone step up on a regular basis.”

The Falcons helped themselves by sinking six of 10 free throws in the final minute. Todd, Matthew Howard (16 points), and Marquise Simuel (15) hit the free throws.

The 69 points was a season high for the Bearcats (1–10).