It wasn’t pretty, but the
And, if it wasn’t for a 16-0 run in the second half in which the Cougars held Otero scoreless for a seven minute stretch, the WNCC season could’ve been over. Thank goodness for Matthew Akins, who finished with a double-double with 24 points and 17 rebounds, including six crucial points in the extra period that helped the Cougars survive to the quarterfinals.
“Survive and advance,” WNCC coach John Jungers said. “We have been in this situation before and we seem to come out on top.”
The Cougars had to battle back from a 10-point deficit midway through the second half to survive into Monday’s quarterfinals against the winner of tonight’s contest between Northwest College and Western Wyoming Community College. Monday’s game is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Otero forged ahead 69-59 on clutch free throw shooting and a 3-pointer by Ryan Goodenberger with 8:03 to play. After that, the Rattlers went cold and WNCC picked up their intensity going on a 16-0 run. The Cougars tied the contest at 69 with 4:29 to play on two Carl Buck free throws.
Then, Erik Smith drove to the middle and popped in a 12-footer to put WNCC up 71-69. The Cougars weren’t finished as they forged ahead 75-69 with just over a minute to play on a Akins bucket.
Otero’s Tomaul Hawkins stopped the run, getting a steal and stopping the scoreless streak with 1:01 to play. The Rattler came back cutting the lead to 76-75 on a bucket by Alex Snyder with 9.3 seconds to play.
WNCC pushed the lead to two points as CJ Hampton made one of two free throws with 7.9 seconds. Otero’s Taylor Alvey then drove the paint and made an uncontested lay-up to send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, WNCC forged to a 81-77 lead on buckets by Akins and Doradji Wilson, and then went up 84-79 on a Akins turnaround leaner with 1:50 to play. Otero came back cutting the lead to 84-82 on a Alvey 3-pointer. That was as close as Otero could get as
Jungers said that 16-0 run and the way his team dug down is what saved the day.
“It was about time that we started to defend [during that run],” Jungers said. “ I thought we gave up too many easy baskets. They hurt us on the offensive glass early and they were more aggressive then we were and we gave them all the confidence in the world. I honestly believe we got out played for the majority of the game. We just kind of hung around and hung around and then got stuff done.”
The Cougars had four players in double figures led by Akins with 24 followed by Hampton with 21, Smith with 15 and Carl Buck with 11.
Otero had five with double digits. Hawkins led the way with 19 points followed by Alvey with 16.
The tournament continues today with
Quarterfinal action begins Monday at 1 p.m. with four games.
Otero 37 40 6 – 83
WNCC 39 38 12 – 89
CJ Littlejohn 2, Tomaul Hawkins 19, Ryan Goodenberger 3, Alex Snyder 14, Andrew Baker 4, MJ Crespin 10, Taylor Alvey 16, Cole Smith 13, Eric Hill 2.
Keron McKenzie 3, Erik Smith 15, Beno Jaekel 5, Matthew Akins 24, Carl Buck 11, CJ Hampton 21, DaRon Kirkendoll 2, Doradji Wilson 8.
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