Howard College Rejects South Plains Bid For Revenge
(some content courtesy of HC sports info)
(Feb 4, 2022) Big Spring, TX – The Howard College Hawks complete the fairly rare season series sweep of the Texans in a matinee game at the Dorthy Garrett Coliseum. Howard spurns South Plains 75-58 last night after beating beating SPC in the first meeting 55-45 in Levelland.
It was the third game in a row the Hawks have hung an “L” on the Texans, having upended them in the semifinals of last years WJCAC post season tournament. It was also the first regular season sweep for HC over the Texans since the 2012-13 season.
The loss leaves SPC at 12-10 on the season and 6-4 in league play. The win raises the Hawks record to 14-9, 5-4. Despite their two triumphs over South Plains, Howard is behind them by a half game in the conference.
SPC jumped out to a 33-29 lead at the midway point, shooting over 47 percent from the floor and 33 percent from distance to open the game. Howard shot just 34 percent from the floor in the opening period and was a dismal 1 of 13 from the 3-point range during those twenty minutes.
Momentum shifted on the back stretch as Howard shot 53.1 percent and pushed the lead to double digits at the midway point. Eventually extending the lead to 20 before closing out with the 17 point cushion. South Plains largest lead was six early in the first period.
Bonny Udoh netted 21 of his game-high 28 points over the final 20 minutes. Udoh finished 12 of 19 from the field to go along with nine boards and four steals in 34 minutes of action. Blaize Sagna tallied 14 points for the Hawks, while D’Mari Wiltz chipped in for 10 points, grabbed nine boards, and dished out a game-high nine apples.
Deuce Turner topped South Plains with 20 points (7-15) adding four rebounds over 29 minutes of court time. Malek Abdelgowad popped for 11 points and hauled in 13 rebounds off the bench, while DJ Avery notched eleven points and five rebounds.
South Plains needs to run the table to have any chance at a repeat of a conference title, plus get some help. One thing in their favor, the remaining schedule are all teams the Texans have beaten this year. But with two more victories, Odessa will clinch the WJCAC regular season championship outright. Howard has to hope for the same outcome as SPC.
Odessa is firmly in first place in the WJCAC with a perfect 11-0 mark. New Mexico Military, New Mexico JC, and South Plains are all at 6-4, Howard is 6-5.
