NMMI Sports Press

The Bronco Basketball team hit the hardwood for the first time in 2024, holding on for a 78-72 victory over the visiting Strength N Motion prep academy Friday night at Cahoon Armory.

Freshman point guard Donald Chapman was feeling a bit under the weather, but still managed to score a team-high 13 points while going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

Redshirt freshman guard Louie Yebra also netted 13, hitting 3-out-of-5 from behind the arc midway through the second half to give the Broncos the big lead they'd need to stay ahead down the stretch.

NMMI scored the first nine points of the contest, but by the 10-minute mark, that advantage had dwindled to three. The Broncos refocused and built up a 16-point lead before halftime, thanks in part to going 16-of-18 from the charity stripe.

The Broncos maintained a double-digit lead for much of the second half, but late turnovers aided the visitors from San Antonio, Texas as they closed the gap to six points with less than two minutes left in the game.

NMMI only hit 14-out-of-25 free throws in the second half, but big makes by Chapman and sophomore guard Vukasin Minic in the final seconds preserved the home win, moving the Broncos to 5-8 with one more game before conference play begins.

"We should've played better, but you never discount a college win, no matter who you're playing or how you're playing," said longtime NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "And they have some guys that can play. We were recruiting one of their guys last year, for basketball and football, and we may go after him again."

Freshman guard Mazin Lumori lead all rebounders with 10 and brought the small, but engaged crowd to their feet a couple times with a couple near-dunks, but his five turnovers were also the high for the game.

"He played like a freshman at the end, but 10 rebounds was outstanding and he listened," Schooley said. "Some of these guys have got to stay engaged at the end of games. I bet we had eight turnovers in the last four minutes."

The Broncos take on a different roster from Strength N Motion International Academy tomorrow at noon at Cahoon. The game can be livestreamed free of charge at KSVPtv.com.