Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
The race is on as the second half of Western Junior College Athletic Conference play begins.
Entering Monday night's game tied for third place, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco basketball team had a big task with the South Plains College Texans coming into Roswell.
With four players in double-digit scoring figures, the Broncos outlasted the Texans for a 77-71 victory at the Godfrey Athletic Center.
The Broncos are in sole possession of third place, one game ahead of fourth-place New Mexico Junior College.
"Biggest win of the year," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "They (South Plains) are so well coached, big and physical. They're good. That's the most physical game we've played all year.
"Very proud of my guys. The kids played hard. We made our free throws down the stretch. Just an overall team effort. It was tremendous."
South Plains started the game on a 6-0 run until the Broncos got on the board with a shot made by Chris Bready.
Bready later got fouled on a three-point attempt to go to the line where he made three free throws to cut the deficit to one with 16:09.
The Texans surged to a five-point lead until a shot by Luis Riascos Varon cut the deficit to three.
A three-pointer by Andre Gray created a 7-0 run for South Plains, which increased the lead to nine with 11:12 on the clock.
Jonathan Salazar then made a shot in the paint off an assist by Reginald Ward to put the Broncos within five.
Marcus Burnett got three quick points for South Plains after getting fouled while making a shot.
Down by eight, NMMI kept chipping away as it got two key shots from Ward and Isaiah Williams as well as two free throws by Varon to trail by two with 8:14 in the first half.
South Plains answered with a three by Kieves Turner to increase the lead to seven.
Salazar delivered a clutch three-point play after getting fouled while making a shot in the paint. The play brought the Broncos within three with 4:37 left to go.
The score continued to see-saw as the Texans took a six-point lead before the Broncos tied up the game at 35-all.
NMMI trailed by four at the half.
Latik Murphy put the Broncos ahead 40-39 with a shot in the paint early in the second half. The lead was short-lived as the Texans pulled away to a five-point lead.
A key three-pointer by Jordan Nelson gave NMMI a two-point lead with 14:30.
South Plains went on to tie the game at 50-all before taking a two-point lead.
Salazar tied up the game for the third time in the second half with another key point in the paint.
Murphy helped extend NMMI's lead to three with a clutch three-pointer with 11:35. The Broncos never trailed from that point on.
NMMI took a five-point lead with 4:03 left in the contest when Murphy made a pair of free throws. South Plains came back to within one point, but the Broncos stayed composed.
The Broncos made 15 of 21 free throws in the second half, which proved to be crucial in notching the win.
NMMI also won the rebounding battle, 43-37.
Salazar had a big game tallying a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Murphy led all scorers with 21 points, seven rebounds and one assist. He also shot 9 of 10 from the charity stripe while knocking down two 3-pointers.
"A lot of people doubted us. We just all played together," Murphy said. "I'm very proud of the guys. We executed well down the stretch."
Bready added with 15 points, four rebounds, one steal and an assist while Varon finished with 10 points and four boards.
The Broncos shot 26 of 36 from the free throw line.
South Plains had four players tally double-digit scoring figures. Burnett led the Texans with 14 points while DJ Avery and Khalifa Sakho chipped in with 12 points each.
Savion Gallion added with 10 points.
NMMI's last victory over South Plains came on Feb. 10, 2020. The Broncos solidified two wins over the Texans that season.
"The biggest thing was consistency. I know the last couple games we've been lacking in our defensive intensity. In the last couple practices it's been there," Bready said. "When we're playing good defense that's when we're at our best.
"It's definitely motivating. It gives us something to look forward to and something for us to work for each and every day. (Coach Kennedy Miller) does an amazing job, putting us in the correct position to do what we're able to do on the defensive end."
>> UP NEXT: NMMI travels to Clarendon College for a 6:30 p.m. CST tip-off on Thursday, Feb. 3.
NMMI 77, South Plains College 71
SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE (12-9, 6-3)
Jaden Harris 1 0-0 2, Savion Gallion 4 1-2 10, Malik Zachery 1 0-0 2, Kieves Turner 1 3-4 6, Marcus Burnett 5 4-4 14, Eric Coleman Jr. 1 0-0 2, Andre Gray 1 0-0 3, DJ Avery 6 0-0 12, Khalifa Sakho 5 2-5 12, Malek Abdelgowad 4 0-1 8. Totals 29 10-16 71.
NMMI (14-9, 6-4)
Chris Bready 3 9-11 15, Isaiah Williams 2 1-5 5, Latik Murphy 5 9-10 21, Jordan Nelson 1 0-0 3, Jay'veon Coleman 1 0-0 2, Amiri Crowder 0 1-2 1, Luis Riascos Varon 3 4-5 10, Reginald Ward 3 0-0 6, Jonathan Salazar 6 2-3 14. Totals 24 26-36 77.
SPC…………39….32 --- 71
NMMI…….35….42 --- 77
3-point goals – South Plains 3 (Gallion, Turner, Gray); NMMI 3 (Murphy 2, Nelson 1). Rebounds – South Plains 37 (Avery 10, Sakho 7, Turner 6); NMMI 43 (Salazar 13, Murphy 7). Assists – South Plains 8 (Newton 3); NMMI 12 (Crowder 4). Total fouls – South Plains 28, NMMI 20. Fouled out – South Plains (Harris). Technical fouls – NMMI (Varon).
>> WJCAC scores from Monday, Jan. 31:
- Odessa 93, Clarendon 79
- Frank Phillips 64, Midland 63
- Howard College 70, Western Texas College 59
>> WJCAC standings:
1. Odessa College 19-5 (10-0); 2. South Plains 12-9 (6-3); 3. NMMI 14-9 (6-4); 4. New Mexico Junior College 13-10 (5-4); 5. Howard College 13-9 (5-5); 6. (tie) Frank Phillips College 13-11 (4-6); and Midland College 11-12 (4-6); 8. Western Texas College 13-11 (3-7); 9. Clarendon 6-17 (1-9).