Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
No lead, no matter how large, is ever safe when it comes to playing in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference.
For the third time in two weeks, the New Mexico Military Institute men's basketball team endured another overtime game.
During the regular season finale Monday night, the Broncos let a 16-point lead slip away in the second half before outscoring the Western Texas College Westerners 12-8 in the first overtime period.
NMMI was able to secure the 94-90 victory at the Godfrey Athletic Center.
The last 11 games for the Broncos have been decided by single-digit deficits. This was NMMI's sixth overtime game of the season.
"Tonight's game was just normally how we do it," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "When we're playing defense I believe we can compete with anybody, but when we're not, and we have these lulls, this is what happens. That was the best we've come out all year."
The Broncos began the game with a 4-0 run before the Westerners got on the board with a shot by Khaleem Bennett.
NMMI then went on a 7-0 run. Jonathan Salazar tallied all the points during the offensive rally, which helped increase the Broncos' lead to 11-2.
Chris Bready then hit a three-pointer with 14:32 on the clock to give NMMI an 11-point lead.
Nadjrick Peat fueled a 4-0 run after knocking down two free throws and a shot in the paint, which made the score 23-11.
The Westerners cut the lead down to as little as two with 8:07 remaining in the first half.
Two clutch three-pointers from Latik Murphy and Isaiah Williams gave the Broncos an eight-point lead with just four minutes to go until the break.
NMMI continued its hot streak from beyond the arc as Murphy and Jordan Nelson hit a pair of threes to put NMMI ahead by 10.
Murphy had 13 points at the break.
Things continued to fare well for the Broncos on offense as they used a 5-0 run, which included a pair of three-pointers by Murphy and Williams, to take a 16-point lead.
After making four 3-pointers in the opening half, NMMI knocked down six shots from beyond the arc in the second half.
NMMI used a 6-0 run that included a three by Nelson that came off an assist by John Mapiou and another trey from Williams.
Western Texas slowly began to creep back into the ballgame as the lead was cut down to a dozen.
A pair of three-pointers by Justin Davis with 7:39 in the second half chiseled the deficit down to six.
The Broncos got a three-point play by Williams after he was fouled after making a two-pointer, which put NMMI ahead by 10 with 5:09 left to go.
Western Texas used a 7-0 run to take a two-point lead with 46 seconds on the clock.
Amiri Crowder later tied up the game with a shot in the paint.
NMMI made six points off free throws down the stretch during the overtime period to help secure the game.
The Broncos finished the game making 11 three-pointers while shooting 13 of 19 from the charity stripe.
NMMI narrowly out rebounded the Westerners 44-39.
Murphy led the way with 26 points and five 3-pointers. Williams chipped in with 18 points, three assists and five rebounds.
Salazar finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
Western Texas had five players in double-digit scoring figures. Garry Clark tallied 21 points while Brown added with 17.
Bennett had 14, Lorenzo Downey scored 11 and Davis added with 12.
The Westerners knocked down eight shots from beyond the arc while shooting 16 of 20 from the free throw line.
>> UP NEXT: NMMI will await to see where the chips fall, but for now it has locked in fourth place and a spot in the Region V tournament, which is being held March 2-5 in Wolfforth, Texas at Frenship High School.
NMMI 94, Western Texas College 90 (OT)
WESTERN TEXAS COLLEGE (14-15, 4-11)
Dawson John 2 0-0 5, Justin Davis 4 1-2 12, Khaleem Bennett 3 8-9 14, Jaedan Jefferson 3 2-2 8, Garry Clark 8 4-4 21, Lorenzo Downey 4 0-0 11, Tyson Brown 8 1-3 17, Arseniy Semenov 1 0-0 2. Totals 33 16-20 90.
NMMI (17-12, 9-7)
Chris Bready 1 3-4 6, Isaiah Williams 6 3-3 18, Latik Murphy 10 1-5 26, Jordan Nelson 3 1-2 9, Nadjrick Peat 1 2-2 4, Amiri Crowder 3 2-2 8, Luis Riascos Varon 3 0-0 6, Reginald Ward 1 0-0 2, Jonathan Salazar 7 1-1 15. Totals 35 13-19 94.
WTC..…….33….49….8 --- 90
NMMI……44….38….12 --- 94
3-point goals – Western Texas 8 (Downey 3, Davis 3, John, Clark); NMMI 11 (Murphy 5, Williams 3, Nelson 2, Bready). Rebounds – Western Texas 39 (Brown 8, Clark 6); NMMI 44 (Salazar 9, Williams 5). Assists – Western Texas 16 (Davis 6, Bennett 6); NMMI 20 (Varon 5). Total fouls – Western Texas 14, NMMI 16. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – Western Texas (Brown).
>> WJCAC scores from Monday, Feb. 21:
- Odessa 85, South Plains College 81
- New Mexico Junior College 80, Frank Phillips 72
- Howard 71, Clarendon 70
>> WJCAC standings:
1. Odessa 24-5 (14-0); 2. South Plains College 16-11 (10-4); 3. NMJC 17-12 (9-6); 4. NMMI 17-12 (9-7); 5. Howard 16-11 (8-7); 6. (tie) Frank Phillips 14-15 (5-10); and Midland 12-16 (5-10); 8. Western Texas 14-15 (4-11); 9. Clarendon 8-20 (3-12).