Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
WOLFFORTH, Texas — The New Mexico Military Institute Bronco basketball team lives to fight another day.
In the opening round of the Region V tournament Thursday afternoon, the Broncos overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half to stun 24th-ranked McLennan Community College 74-71 in overtime at Frenship High School's Tiger Pit.
This was NMMI's seventh overtime game of the season. The Broncos have won four overtime games, three in the last two weeks.
NMMI takes on South Plains College in the semifinals at 5 p.m. CST Friday. The Plainsmen came away with an 81-80 overtime victory over Temple.
"When you get to a championship run, you just want to keep things close and give yourself a chance," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "I knew the shots would start falling. We just turn it on at the right time. I'm so proud of these guys."
The Highlanders started the game with a 9-0 run until a three-pointer by Chris Bready got the Broncos on the board with 16:15 in the first half.
McLennan had led by as much as 12 with 10:49 on the clock.
NMMI then put together a 6-0 run to cut the deficit down to four. Bready got four points of free throws while Luis Riascos Varon and Latik Murphy landed a pair of shots in the paint during the run.
Using a 6-0 run, the Highlanders ramped up to another 12-point lead with 5:14 left until halftime.
Behind key three-pointers by Murphy, Bready and Isaiah Williams, the Broncos were behind by five at the half.
Bready had 10 points to lead NMMI.
Early in the second half, McLennan went on an 8-0 run to lead by 11.
NMMI never gave up.
Landing some key free throws down the stretch and getting crucial two-pointers from Amiri Crowder and Jonathan Salazar, the Broncos were down by one with 14 seconds to go in regulation.
Salazar then went to the free throw line where he made a free throw to tie up the game and send it into overtime.
Bready gave the Broncos a two-point lead to start the period after making two free throws.
The Highlanders later tied up the game on another pair of free throws.
Cortland Blake gave McLennan a two-point lead after making a shot in the paint with 3:31 to go.
A clutch three-pointer by Williams gave NMMI the 69-68 lead.
The game was deadlocked twice more until Varon made a pair of shots from the charity stripe to put the Broncos ahead by one.
NMMI closed out the game with a 3-1 run to seal the win.
Murphy led NMMI with 16 points while Bready chipped in with 14. Williams and Crowder each finished with 11 points.
"We fought our way back. I just love all my teammates. We work hard and play hard," Murphy said. "Me and the team never gave up. Even if we're down a lot we're going to try and come back and win.
"We executed well down the stretch."
The Broncos beat McLennan on the boards, 48-36. Salazar grabbed nine rebounds.
NMMI finished 23 of 34 from the charity stripe.
McLennan was led by Chris Pryor with 19 points. Dillon Gooding added with 18 and CJ Hall tallied 12.
>> REGION V TOURNAMENT SCORES:
- NMMI 74, McLennan 71 (OT)
- South Plains 81, Temple 80 (OT)
- New Mexico Junior College 93, Hill 71
- Odessa 97, Collin 71
NMMI 74, McLennan 71 (OT)
MCLENNAN (25-5)
Forte Prater 2 0-0 2, Dillon Gooding 6 2-2 18, Nehemiah Nuckolls 2 2-2 6, Chris Pryor 5 8-9 19, Kirk Smith Jr. 3 0-3 6, CJ Hall 4 3-6 12, Cortland Blake 1 0-0 2, Justin Wilson 0 4-6 4. Totals 23 19-29 71.
NMMI (18-12)
Chris Bready 2 8-11 14, Isaiah Williams 4 1-2 11, Latik Murphy 5 4-4 16, Amiri Crowder 5 1-2 11, Jonathan Salazar 2 2-6 6, Jordan Nelson 0 2-2 2, Nadjrick Peat 0 1-1 1, Jay'veon Coleman 0 1-2 1, Luis Riascos Varon 2 2-2 6, Reginald Ward 1 0-0 2, John Mapiou 1 1-2 4. Totals 22 23-34 74.
MCC..…….35….29….7 --- 71
NMMI……30….34….10 --- 74
3-point goals –McLennan 6 (Gooding 4, Pryor 1, Hall 1); NMMI 7 (Bready 2, Williams 2, Murphy 2, Mapiou 1). Rebounds – McLennan 36 (Smith Jr. 8, Hall 6); NMMI 48 (Salazar 9, Murphy 7). Assists – McLennan 8 (Pryor 3); NMMI 11 (Nelson 4). Total fouls – McLennan 29, NMMI 23. Fouled out – McLennan (Nuckolls, Pryor, Smith Jr.); NMMI (Murphy). Technical fouls – None.