TUSKEGEE, Ala. — Tuskegee men's basketball delivered an early-season thriller inside the James Center Arena on Thursday night, outlasting Fort Valley State 91-89 in an overtime battle that saw momentum swing wildly between both teams.
 
The victory moves the Golden Tigers to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in SIAC play, while the Wildcats fall to 1-2 and remain winless in the conference.
 
Fort Valley State came out firing, using crisp ball movement and a string of three-pointers from Danny Delgardo III to seize control early. A 12-0 run midway through the first half gave the Wildcats a 30-18 lead, their largest of the night.
 
Tuskegee slowly weathered the surge. Inside presence from Kusamae Draper and the relentless work of Anthony Wright on the boards helped the Golden Tigers stabilize.
 
As the half wore on, Tuskegee chipped the lead down possession by possession, fueled by second-chance scoring and a critical stretch of free throws from Khalil Genwright. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, what was once a double-digit deficit had shrunk to 40-36, giving the Golden Tigers new life entering the locker room.
 
Tuskegee carried that momentum into the second half. A pair of early defensive stops and an RJ Walker three-pointer brought the game back to even at 47-47. Moments later, Draper muscled in a layup at the 9:43 mark to give Tuskegee its first lead since the opening minutes.
 
The teams traded blows throughout the middle stretch, with Walker, Genwright, and Wright each providing timely scoring. Walker's deep three with just over six minutes remaining pushed the lead to 68-62, the Golden Tigers' largest advantage of regulation.
 
But Fort Valley refused to fade. Delgardo, who was brilliant all night, buried multiple contested threes to keep the Wildcats within striking distance.
 
After Tuskegee missed a pair of free throws in the closing seconds, Delgardo struck again, drilling a second-chance three from the right wing with four seconds remaining to tie the game at 78-78 and force overtime.
 
In the extra period, Tuskegee seized control early. Genwright opened overtime with a driving dunk in traffic, followed by Draper knocking down a free throw and Derrek Bolton III slicing through the lane for a smooth finish that stretched the lead to 85-80.
 
Fort Valley responded with another burst, pulling within one after a Delgardo free throw. With the clock winding under a minute, the Wildcats again moved into striking distance, trailing only 88-87 after a pair of makes from the foul line.
 
Tuskegee earned one of the biggest plays of the night moments later when Genwright attacked the rim but missed a tough runner; Draper snatched the offensive rebound and hit one of two free throws to make it 89-87.
 
After Fort Valley earned two more free throws to tie the game, Tuskegee found itself needing one final stand and one final answer.
 
What followed would become the defining sequence of the night. With only seconds remaining, a Tuskegee shot in the paint came off the rim, but Noah Goines rose above the crowd and tipped it back in with four seconds left, igniting the arena and restoring a 91-89 lead.
 
Fort Valley quickly advanced the ball and launched a deep three at the buzzer, but it bounced off the rim as time expired, sealing a dramatic overtime victory for the Golden Tigers.
 
Tuskegee's balanced performance carried the night. Genwright finished with 20 points and five rebounds, anchoring the offense with consistent play and clutch free throws. Draper added 21 points and six rebounds, dominating stretches of the game in the post and delivering critical baskets in both regulation and overtime.
 
Wright contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, including several possession-extending effort plays that shifted momentum. Walker chipped in 14 points and was instrumental during Tuskegee's second-half surge. Fort Valley State was led by the extraordinary shooting of Delgardo, who poured in a game-high 28 points on eight made threes.
 
Up Next
Tuskegee now turns its attention to the next matchup against Clark Atlanta at home on Saturday, November 22 at 3:00 p.m., as it continues early SIAC play, looking to build on the energy and resilience showcased in Thursday night's overtime win.
 
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Men's Basketball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and  Facebook. 
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