The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team survived Saturday night against Laramie County Community College and it was their defense that gave the Cougars their 11th win of the season.
WNCC, down by as much as six points with under a minute to play, fought back to claim an exciting and heart-wrenching 72-71 double overtime win against the Golden Eagles in Cheyenne, Wyo.
WNCC coach Brian Joyce credited his team’s never-give-up-attitude in capturing the win.
“I thought we were terrible in the first half and I thought our guys knew that as well,” he said. “But they kept battling in the second half and the only way to get back in it is to fight through the adversity. I thought we our kids did a really good job of hanging in there. That, then, gives you an opportunity at the end to win.”
The Cougars were battling from behind practically all night long. WNCC’s last lead in regulation came with 6:10 left in the first half when Kelvin Franklin stole the ball and made a lay-up. After that, the Golden Eagles took a 35-25 lead into halftime and kept the lead throughout the second half until the waning moments when Danny Smith swished a NBA 3-point basket with two ticks on the clock to send the game into overtime.
“Smith’s shot was a play that we ran twice earlier this year and messed it up. This time we executed it properly,” Joyce said. “With the play, all we wanted is get a good look at the basket and fortunately we hit it.”
Up until the closing seconds of regulation, LCCC kept WNCC at bay. The Golden Eagles held leads of eight points on several occasions, including a six-point, 60-54, lead with under two minutes to play. That is when the game turned around as the Cougars fought back..
Lloyd Hickinson started the Cougars comeback with a bucket. Then, Jamie Eisinger nailed a 3-pointer with 21.9 seconds to play. LCCC went back in front 62-59 on two Dionte’ Clayborn free throws with 11.9 ticks remaining. Smith then came back and nailed the long-range bomb to send the game into overtime.
In the overtime period, the Cougars took their first lead since the first quarter as Deividas Busma nailed two free throws with 3:26 to play and a 64-62 lead. LCCC’s Colby Batiste came back to tie the game on a bucket.
WNCC led two more times as Smith drove the lane and popped in an off balance shot for a 66-64 lead. LCCC, though, came back to tie the game at 66. Chris Hamblin put WNCC back on top with an offensive tip-in with 1:10 to play, only to see the Golden Eagles tie the game on two Batiste free throws with 49.9 seconds.
The Cougars did make a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left, but it didn’t count as the shot bounced off the top of the backboard, giving the ball back to LCCC with 1.2 seconds to play. WNCC’s Smith, though, had an opportunity to win the game in that 1.2 seconds as he unexpectedly received the ball but his directly underneath the basket shot would fall sending the two teams to a second overtime.
LCCC scored the first points of the period on a free throw by Batiste. WNCC, however, came right back to snatch the lead on a Drew Eisinger bucket, 70-69, with 3:11 to play.
The Golden Eagles retook the lead with 2:49 to play on a two free throws by Greg Jones. The lead stayed in LCCC’s favor until the 1:18 mark when Busma scored on an offensive rebound.
Both teams had opportunities to score in the closing seconds. WNCC missed the front end of a one-and-one giving the Golden Eagles a chance to tie or win the game. But, WNCC’s defense down the stretch stopped the Golden Eagles three attempts of scoring in securing the victory.
“I thought we really battled. It wasn’t pretty at all,” Joyce said. “They got a couple looks at the basket at the end and we just played through it. I thought at the end because we were playing hard, we were in a position finish the game. I think it was a good test that we had to win it on the defensive end.”
The Cougars placed three players in double figures. Smith led the team with 14 points and five rebounds. Hickinson and Busma also chipped in 12 points each. Busma also had five rebounds.
LCCC had four players in double digits. Clayborn led the way with 21 points, followed by Batiste with 19 points, Jones with 13 and Kadare Brown with 11.
WNCC will return home on Wednesday when they face Casper College in a men’s and women’s doubleheader. Doubleheader action at Cougar Palace begins at 5:30 p.m.
WNCC (11-7) 25 37 6 4 – 72
LCCC (3-13) 35 27 6 3 – 71
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Chris Hamblin 2, Deividas Busma 12, Jamie Eisinger 7, Daniel Smith 14, Drew Eisinger 4, Oscar Cartwright 6, Kelvin Franklin 9, Lloyd Hickinson 12, Devin West 2, Terrel Price 4.
LARAMIE COUNTY
Dejan Bratic 2, Odiouma Samake 2, Dionte’ Clayborn 21, Kadare Brown 11, Greg Jones 13, Colby Batiste 13, Brett Barnes 3.
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