Top Ranked Salt Lake Gets Past New Mexico On Late Heroics
Odessa, TX- Two top twenty teams squared off in day 2 of the Wrangler Shootout at the Odessa College Sports Center. Salt Lake CC (6-0) took their top billing up against New Mexico JC (5-1), who is currently ranked #11.
Behind 7-0 from tip, and trailing most of the first half, the #1 Bruins survived a six minutes drought in the second half trailing only 34-30 at the halfway point. New Mexico had their biggest lead at ten, 18-8 on cold shooting by the Bruins. But turnovers kept SLCC in the game. In the first half alone the Thunderbirds committed 17 miscues.
As a result, SLCC crept back in the game. Putting together a 9-0 streak, Salt Lake was able to take their first lead 25-24 on a Marion Humphrey dunk with a little over 7 minutes remaining. After a Humphrey steal, the run was capped about 30 seconds later on a Max Watson triple to push the margin to four at 28-24.
However, that was the last points the Bruins would add to the scoreboard over the next 6 plus minutes. Meanwhile, New Mexico was making a 10-0 run of their own to retake the lead. Elijah Beard and Tommy Chatman hit threes, then a Chatman lay-in and a Dario Domingos slam tilted the advantage back to the T-Birds, 34-28.
Marion Humphrey stopped the Bruins bleed out with a short jumper to close out the first half scoring.
The second half was a tug-o-war as each team had leads, but there were always answers. Four lead changes and seven ties in the second half kept the game withing reach for either team.
Down, six, 62-56, with just under 4 to play, back to back threes by Bruin Chase Adams knotted the score again. The game would be tied one more time.
At the 2:50 mark, a Dannie Smith lay-up extended the Thunderbirds lead to five, 67-62. Unfortunately for New Mexico, those would be the last points they would score.
A Festus Ndumanya bucket and another Max Watson trey tied things up again with less than a minute remaining, setting up Jordan Brinson’s heroics.
Brinson, who received a technical four around the five minute mark, of which Beard hit both attempts, made two big plays at the end in redemption. First, he rebounded NMJC’s Mouhamed Mbaye’s missed shortie with less than 45 seconds left, then hit the shot at the end to preserve the Bruins unblemished record and #1 ranking.
New Mexico falls to 5-2. They were lead in scoring by Dannie Smith’s game high 17, and 16 from Elijah Beard. Smith added 6 assists while Josaphat Bilau was chairman of the boards with 12. The T-Birds have a date with Trinity Valley CC tomorrow at the Odessa College Sports Center in the final day of the Wrangler Shootout.
Now 7-0, Salt Lake will take on the hosts, Odessa, in the final game of the Shootout tomorrow at 7pm CST. The Bruins had three starters in double figures. Tying for team high were Chase Adams and Festus Dumanya at 15. Adams led with four assists. Ndumanya had a double as he collected 10 rebounds. Jackson Last finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Statistically, New Mexico dominated just about everything except the final score. They out shot the Bruins 47 to 36% from the floor (57 to 29% from distance), out boarded the #1 team 43-39. The telling tale, however, was the 26 total turnovers which handicapped their bid to take down number one.
