Photo by: Carson Ming, Photo & Visual Editor

By: Elijah Bradley, Staff Writer 

In a Senior Night showdown for the ages at Forbes Arena, the Morehouse Maroon Tigers came back from a 20-point deficit to stun rival Clark Atlanta University, 87-77, in a double-overtime classic. Senior guard Omar Rowe led the charge with a game-high 24 points, sealing Morehouse’s second win over Clark this season.

Clark Atlanta came out firing, as they held a 16-2 lead by the 12-minute mark. Junior guard, JerMontae Hill, kept the Maroon Tigers in the game early, as he scored their first two baskets, but Clark’s relentless pace and dominance on the boards stretched the lead to 27-7 with eight minutes left in the first half. Redshirt junior, Ny’Mire Little, helped the Panthers with 26 points and two rebounds, while senior guard Jalen Williams chipped in 14 points, sinking key shots that kept Morehouse on its heels. 

The Maroon Tigers found a spark late in the first half. Hill and sophomore guard, Cedric Taylor III, hit crucial shots to chip away at the deficit, but Clark still led 31-18 heading into halftime. 

Morehouse came out of the break with a new energy. Taylor III ignited the comeback with a deep three-pointer at the 17:31 mark, and trimmed  the lead to eight. Moments later, senior forward Amahn Decker drilled another three, and cut the score to 39-29 with 15:16 left. Hill stayed hot, as he hit back-to-back threes to close the gap to 43-37 with 11 minutes left in the game. 

Clark answered with a quick run, capped by Williams’ smooth euro-step layup and consecutive threes, which pushed their lead back to 57-45 with six minutes left. 

But Morehouse was not done yet. 

Rowe took over late in the second half, knocking down a clutch three-pointer to bring the Maroon Tigers within two at the 3:13 mark. Morehouse had a chance to win in regulation but missed the final shot, sending the game into overtime. 

The first overtime was a tense, back-and-forth battle. Clark’s junior guard, Najhae Colon, buried a deep three with 40.4 seconds left, giving the Panthers a brief edge. But Morehouse’s resilience forced double overtime. 

That’s when the Tigers roared.

Rowe dominated in double OT, adding to his 24 points and six rebounds, while Decker and Taylor III hit critical shots to put the game out of reach. Morehouse exploded in the final minute, going on a decisive run that sent the Forbes Arena crowd into madness.

Hill finished with 15 points, including two big threes. Taylor III contributed nine points and seven rebounds, while Decker recorded a dominant double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. 

The Maroon Tigers’ comeback was fueled by aggressive defense and lights-out shooting when it mattered most. Morehouse outscored Clark 18-8 in double overtime and shot 57.1% from the field, compared to Clark’s 20%. From beyond the arc, Morehouse held the advantage, shooting 44.8% to Clark’s 33.3%. 

Rowe, who delivered one of his best performances of the season, reflected on the emotional Senior Night win. 

“The energy was electrifying—it fueled me and my teammates to keep pushing and complete the comeback,”Rowe said. “This one felt personal. My family came down to support me, and after missing the chance to perform against them the first time, I saw this as my get-back. I’m glad we got the win, and I could leave my mark on this rivalry.” 

With the victory, Morehouse improves to 15-12 (12-7 in conference), while Clark Atlanta drops to 17-9 (14-5).

Copy Edited by Rece Allen, Sport Editor