CIAA scoring leader Antonio Fitzgerald made a 35-foot three-point runner with 1 second remaining to lift Saint Augustine’s College over Saint Paul’s College 84-81 Thursday in a CIAA men’s basketball game at Taylor-Whitehead Gym. The Falcons, playing their fifth straight road game, improved to 6-2 overall and 1-1 in the CIAA, while Saint Paul’s dropped to 5-3 and 0-1.

The contest appear headed for overtime after Saint Paul’s Hassan Robinson, guarded by two defenders, made a difficult three-point leaner from the wing to tie the score at 81-81 with 12 seconds remaining. The Tigers tried to force a turnover with full-court pressure on the Falcons’ ensuing possession, but Fitzgerald dribbled down court near the left sideline and fired a long three-pointer over a Tiger defender. His shot rattled in the rim for the winning basket to the dismay of the home Saint Paul’s fans. Only 1 second remained on the clock but Saint Paul’s had enough time for guard Shahumaad Jones to launch a half court shot. The ball banged high off the backboard, giving the Falcons their first CIAA victory of the season.

The trio of Fitzgerald, Claude Neeley and Nicholas King led the Falcons once again as all three players registered double-doubles. Neeley, the CIAA No. 2 scorer, scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Fitzgerald scored 20 points and collected 10 rebounds and King had 17 points and 14 rebounds. Carl Gervais added 8 points and 7 rebounds. They helped the Falcons gain a whopping 60-35 advantage on the boards including a 29-17 margin on the offensive glass. The Falcons also were 23 of 26 from the free-throw line compared to 12 of 21 for the Tigers. The free throws and rebounds offset the Falcons’ 25 turnovers and a 37.3 shooting percentage from the floor. The Tigers, led by four double-figure scorers, shot 43.2 percent. Royal of Saint Paul’s led his team with 23 points followed by Robinson with 21 points. The victory should give the Falcons momentum as they head to Winston-Salem State Jan. 10 to visit the Rams. Game time for the CIAA affair is 7:30 p.m.