By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, Ohio---The Owens Community College men's basketball team suffered an 87-66 loss to No. 3 Sinclair Community College this afternoon in the Student Health and Activities Center (SHAC).

Sinclair opened the game on a 7-1 run, which forced a 30 second timeout from Owens. Shortly thereafter, Derrik Jamerson Jr. (Cornerstone/Pontiac, Mich.) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at nine with 15:40 left.

Manny Powell Jr. hit a 3-pointer to give Owens a 14-12 lead with 13:22 left, but Owens answered with a 7-0 run, capped by a 3-point play from Xavier Cochran (Huron/Ypsilanti, Mich.).

Powell Jr. hit another 3-pointer with 4:46 remaining to pull Sinclair within two, but Owens got back-to-back 3-pointers from Jamerson Jr. and Roy Hatchett Jr. (Glenville/Cleveland, Ohio) to take a 39-31 lead.

After Akiean Frederick's jumper with 2:19 left pulled Sinclair with seven, Owens produced a 6-0 run, highlighted by four points from Cochran. Then, Tariq Scott (R.J. Reynolds/Winston Salem, N.C.) hit a pair of free throws with eight seconds left to give Owens a 49-36 lead at halftime.

In the second half, however, Owens shot just 6-for-34 (17.6 percent) from the field. Dilyn Good (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) hit a 3-pointer early in the second half to give Owens its largest lead at 16, but Sinclair responded with a 15-0 run and outscored Owens 51-14 the rest of the game.

Charles Penn III (Macomb Dakota/Detroit, Mich.) hit a pair of free throws to stop the run and give Owens a 54-51 lead with 14:13 remaining, but Sinclair then went on an 11-0 run to take a 62-54 lead with 10:53 left.

Moments later, the lead was double figures and Owens didn't get closer than 10 the rest of the game.

Sinclair's Reshardd Harris scored a game-high 23 points, including 16 in the second half, while adding eight rebounds. Four others also reached double figures for the visitors including Powell Jr. (13), Marcellous Washington (13), Steven Perriere (12) and Frederick (10). Powell Jr. added 11 assists, while Washington had nine rebounds and seven assists.

Jamerson Jr. led Owens with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Cochran added 11 points - nine in the first half, and Scott chipped in 10 points off the bench.

With today's loss, Owens falls to 13-11 overall and 5-4 in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC), while Sinclair improves to 23-1 overall and 10-1 in OCCAC play.

Owens will be back in action next Wednesday at home against Edison Community College beginning at 7:30 p.m.