The Seward County Saints drop their third straight conference opener with a hearbreaking 74-69 overtime loss to the Cloud Thunderbirds Wednesday night in the Jayhawk Conference opener.  The Saints led 58-53 with 1:35 to play but didn’t score again in regulation in front of a frenzied crowd in Bryant Gymnasium in Concordia.

The Saints came out blistering hot making four of their first five three’s to lead 12-0.  The rest of the game was tight.  SCCC led 29-28 at the half.  Seward’s Dekwon Brown went on a heater scoring eight straight and Seward led 44-39 and 50-46 with 6:20 to play.  Seward led 52-46 with 5:28 remaining.  The Saints led 54-46 with five minutes left.  SCCC led 56-48 with 3:46 to play.  Seward led 58-53 and led by that score with about 37 seconds left when Cloud stole the ball at mid court from the Saints for a lay up to make it 58-55.  Cloud’s Falouu Koite hit the three to tie it 58-58.  But Cloud was called for a taunting technical but SCCC missed the free throw.  Seward had the ball with a chance to win it but Kiku Parker’s shot was blocked.  Dekwon Brown connected on a three to lead 61-58 in overtime.  But the Thunderbirds reeled in a 7-0 run to lead 65-61 and led 69-64 with a minute to play in overtime.

Seward shot 39 percent making 11-27 from three and 10-13 at the foul line.  The T-Birds hit 40 percent from the field and had an off shooting night at 8-27 from three and made 16-21 at the foul line.  Rebounds were 37-37.  The Saints committed 13 turnovers while Cloud only had six.  Dekwon Brown was Epic Touch Player of the Game with 20.  Muhammed Jobe had 15 points.

Seward has lost five of the last six to Cloud.  Seward has lost four straight at Concordia.  Cloud is 7-0 and 1-0 in the KJCCC while Seward is 1-5 and 0-1.  The Saints play at Cowley Saturday afternoon at 3pm on 107.5.