NMMI Sports Press
The Bronco basketball team played almost iron-man basketball with just six players suited up to take on WJCAC foe New Mexico Junior College, a team that had bested the Broncos in two previous overtime games, both at NMJC. But this time the Institute got the win, at home on the Cahoon Armory gym, in regulation, 68-64.
The short line-up for NMMI was the result of an altercation last week on the road vs. Clarendon, where several players were stuck with one or more game suspensions.
"Third time's the charm," said head Bronco basketball coach Ralph Davis. "Our guys came in and played hard. Hats off to all six, they all played big parts in this win. But I'd like to especially point out Devin Pate who decided since we were down in numbers, to volunteer to take his red shirt off. It was the first game he's played all year and the stat sheet doesn't tell the story of how well he played."
While Pate didn't have any points in the game, he did play more than 20 minutes off the bench, and had some decent stats to attest to his court time, including four rebounds – three of which were on offense – three steals, one assist, and a huge blocked shot at the end of the game, possibly prevent NMJC from sending yet another game between the two clubs into OT.
NMMI held the lead for almost the entire first half, going up by as much as 11 points with 8:44 left, then watched that lead slip as the outside shooting of NMJC started to get hot. The Thunderbird rally continued until they held the lead at half, 35-32.
In the second, with 15 minutes and change remaining, NMMI battled back and tied the game at 39-39. Forward Atem Bior hit guard Rosel Hurley on an inlet pass. Hurley was fouled but sunk the shot for the tie, then put NMMI ahead with the 'and one.'
After that, the Broncos never trailed again, and held a nine-point lead, 62-53, with 4:38 left in regulation.
The T-birds managed to close within one point twice, but both times, clutch shots by guard Jordyn Owens put the lead back to three.
Top scorer on the night was Atem Bior with 23 points. He also picked up the double-double with 13 rebounds, and lead NMMI in assists with five. Owens finished with 16 points, his season high, and sharpshooter Jaylen Williams had 13, including a trio of treys.
With the win, NMMI moves to 15-9 overall and 5-5 in conference, good for fifth place in the WJCAC, and only one game in back of fourth-place Howard College.
"I'm just proud of our guys and how they stepped up tonight," said coach Davis. "We're still in the mix now – we just need to go out and win some more games, keep playing hard, even through adversity."
Next up for NMMI will be a road match vs. Odessa College, the current top team in the WJCAC, on Thursday, then return home next week to take on South Plains College on Monday at 6:30 P.M. in Cahoon.
The Broncos need to finish in fourth or higher place to make the Region V Postseason tournament, and have six conference games left to make it happen.