Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press

After dropping their last two games, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco basketball team rebounded Monday night at the Godfrey Athletic Center.

NMMI was able to fend off the Midland College Chaparrals 70-66.

With such an even conference, any team can win on any given night, no matter the record.

The Broncos were led by Latik Murphy with 26 points and five 3-pointers.

"That's a testament to the guys. They beared down when they had to," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "We were fortunate to have things go our way at the end. We made enough plays to win tonight."

There were six 3-pointers made in the first two minutes of the ballgame. Murphy knocked down three key 3-pointers to put the Broncos on a 6-0 run to take a 12-6 lead.

The first half also featured five different lead changes.

Midland later tied up the game 12-all with a bucket by Christian Villegas with 15:38 on the clock.

NMMI then went on a 5-0 run to take a five-point lead. Murphy hit his fourth 3-pointer of the half off an assist by Luis Riascos Varon.

The Chaparrals got a pair of three-pointers from Jalen Henderson and Bradley Breemon to help take a one-point lead.

Midland had led by as much as three until there were two ties in the score before the Broncos surged ahead to an 11-point lead with 2:40 remaining until halftime.

NMMI got a three by Amiri Crowder and four points by Reginald Ward and Chris Bready during the big run.

The Chaparrals cut the deficit down to seven at the break. Murphy led all scorers with 15 points while Bready had nine.

Midland took a three-point lead with 14:04 in the second half. Isaiah Williams cut the deficit down to one with a quick bucket.

Jordan Nelson later tied up the game at 54-all by making a free throw with 10:30 to go.

Off an assist by Bready, Jonathan Salazar gave the Broncos the lead.

Midland took back the lead after a shot in the paint by Oliver Hayward and a free throw by Matteo Tersillo.

Varon got three quick points after being fouled on a made layup and knocking down a free throw which gave NMMI a 59-57 lead.

NMMI led by four with 5:21 left in the contest before Midland fought back to take a one-point lead.

Murphy made a crucial shot from beyond the arc to put the Broncos ahead by two.

Midland tied up the game once again.

The Broncos closed out the game on a 4-0 run to seal the win.

NMMI knocked down nine shots from beyond the arc. Bready finished with nine points while Williams and Salazar each had eight points.

The rebounding battle was evened up at 33-33. Bready grabbed eight boards, seven on the defensive end.

NMMI shot 9 of 13 from the free throw line.

"We just executed down the stretch. We played very well together," Murphy said. "It's all process. We started off slow but the defense came in at the end. We can definitely get back in it.

"My teammates set me up, got me open and they believed in me."

Midland had three players in double-digit scoring figures as Steven Richardson had 19 points, Villegas had 15 and Hayward chipped in with 11.

The Chaparrals knocked down 10 three-pointers in the contest. Richardson accounted for four of the 10.

>> UP NEXT: NMMI travels to Snyder, Texas for a 5:30 p.m. MST tip-off on Thursday against Western Texas College.

>> Western Junior College Athletic Conference scores from Monday, Jan. 17:

• South Plains 95, Western Texas 63
• Odessa 73, Frank Phillips 66
• New Mexico Junior College 68, Howard 57

>> WJCAC Conference standings:

1. Odessa 15-5 (6-0); 2. South Plains 11-7 (4-1); 3. NMJC 12-8 (3-1); 4. Howard 11-7 (3-2); 5. NMMI 12-8 (4-3); 6. Midland 10-10 (3-4); 7. (tie) Western Texas 11-9 (1-5); and Frank Phillips 10-10 (1-5); and Clarendon 6-13 (1-5).

NMMI 70, Midland 66

MIDLAND

Matteo Tersillo 2 1-2 6, Christian Villegas 5 3-3 15, Jalen Henderson 1 0-0 3, Trent Johnson 4 0-0 9, Bradley Breemon 1 0-0 3, Steven Richardson 7 1-2 19, Oliver Hayward 5 1-2 11. Totals 25 6-9 66.

NMMI

Chris Bready 4 0-0 9, Isaiah Williams 3 1-1 8, Latik Murphy 9 3-3 26, Jordan Nelson 1 2-4 5, Nadjrick Peat 1 0-0 2, Amiri Crowder 1 0-0 3, Luis Riascos Varon 1 1-1 3, Reginald Ward 2 2-4 6, Jonathan Salazar 4 0-0 8. Totals 26 9-13 70.

MID………36……..30 --- 66
NMMI…..43…….27 --- 70

3-point goals – Midland 10 (Richardson 4, Villegas 2, Tersillo 1, Henderson 1, Johnson 1, Beemon 1); NMMI 9 (Murphy 5, Bready 1, Williams 1, Nelson 1, Crowder 1). Rebounds – Midland 33 (Johnson 10, Hayward 7, Villegas 6); NMMI 33 (Bready 8, Salazar 6). Assists – Midland 17 (Villegas 4); NMMI 15 (Ward 4). Total fouls – Midland 15, NMMI 10. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.