CUMBERLAND — In a pre-Thanksgiving showdown, Western Maryland rivales, Allegany and Garrett delivered a basketball spectacle at Bob Kirk Arena that fans won't soon forget.

The Trojans (5-5, 3-2 NJCAA Region 20) and the Lakers (6-2, 1-1 Region 20) battled fiercely for 95 minutes, with Allegany ultimately securing a 121-115 victory after three overtimes.

ACM head coach Tommie Reams challenged his team at halftime, emphasizing the importance of playing clean basketball and meeting their effort and discipline standards. He stressed that their program is process-oriented and that good things happen when they play well.

The game was tightly contested for the first 80 minutes. With 8:29 left in the second half, Keyonta Johnson's free throws gave the Lakers a 66-65 lead. Garrett maintained the lead for seven minutes, but Allegany stayed within striking distance.

Tied at 83 with 1:13 remaining, Marqui Olds put the Lakers ahead with a layup, but Sebastian Henson quickly responded for Allegany to tie the game again. Henson scored 17 points, while Edward Johnson added 14.

In the first overtime, Garrett led but couldn't pull away. Nasir Coleman's free throw put Garrett ahead 95-93 with 4.6 seconds left, but Jaylen Brown set up Henson for a layup to force double overtime.

In double overtime, Brown connected with Brandon Anderson for a three-pointer, giving Allegany a three-point lead. Brown finished with 26 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds.

Garrett's Gavin Jackson hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game into triple overtime. Jackson led all scorers with 35 points, including six three-pointers.

The Trojans took the lead for good in the third overtime with 2:56 left on an Anderson free throw. Allegany then went on a 7-1 run to seal the victory.

Allegany's Alex Byrd finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Gabe Jones added 13 points. For Garrett, K'Shawn Scott scored 19 points, and Stephen Robinson added 10.

ACM excelled at the charity stripe, shooting 81%, while Garrett scored 24 points in transition. ACM also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, racking up 35 points, with Owen Seifarth, Alex Byrd, and Brandon Washington dominating the boards.

The Trojans will next compete in the Jim Brown Classic in Hagerstown, facing County College of Morris and Monroe. 

With the Trojans cleaning up from a rough start to the year, it could be full steam ahead for the Trojans this coming weekend and it always proves as two good days of basketball. 

To watch the game in its entirety, please head to Allegany College of Maryland Athletics Facebook page.