NMMI Sports Press
The Bronco Basketball team couldn't hold on to a second half lead Thursday night at Cahoon Armory, falling 66-64 to the visiting Frank Phillips College Plainsmen in the second conference matchup between the squads this season.
The Broncos committed 24 turnovers, 12 in each half, and while FPC one-upped NMMI with 25 turnovers, they shot 50 percent from the field and made 17-of-28 from the free-throw line.
"You're not going to win any basketball games if you turn it over 24 times," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "The game was close, because they turned it over too, but it's not going to get any easier the rest of the way."
The Broncos started slow, falling into an 8-2 hole while missing four 3s in the opening minutes. But the Broncos cut the lead to two off the inside play of freshmen Yanis Ndjonga and Donovan Long and took a one-point lead when freshman forward Quentin Bolton sank a 3-pointer off the assist from freshman guard Aaron Williams Jr.
Williams and fellow guard, sophomore Keondre Newman, went on a hot streak, helping the Broncos build a six-point lead with just less than seven minutes left in the first half, but a cold streak followed and after trading the lead several times, the Plainsmen went into halftime with a one-point advantage at 31-30.
The Broncos shot 32 percent from the field for the half compared to 50 percent for the Plainsmen, but a plus-5 turnover differential helped NMMI keep it close.
FPC stretched the lead to five early in the second half, but Ndjonga and Long were sharp at the charity stripe and evened the score at 37-all. The Broncos achieved the largest lead of the contest midway through the half when Bolton's jumper made it 51-43.
NMMI still had a five-point advantage with six minutes remaining, but long-range shooting went cold and the Plainsmen flipped the lead to go up 65-60 with 17 seconds left.
Bolton cut the lead to three and then intentionally fouled FPC's Melquan Collins to extend the game. Collins made one free throw and after a Bronco timeout, Ndjonga was fouled on a 3-point attempt.
Ndjonga drained the first two freebies then intentionally missed the third trying to create a put back opportunity to tie the game, but FPC came down with the rebound as the final buzzer sounded.
Ndjonga led the Broncos with 10 points and nine rebounds, Williams scored 10 and had five assists, Long added nine points on 4-for-6 shooting and Bolton had seven points and nine boards. Freshman guard/forward Vukasin Minic had eight points and went 4-for-5 from the free-throw line with limited minutes.
"It's really not an effort issue. They play hard," Schooley said. "We just need to play smarter. If we keep turning it over like that we'll be lucky to walk away with two-point losses."
The Broncos (8-15 overall, 1-8 in WJCAC) head to Levelland, Texas for a Monday matchup with the South Plains College Texans (17-4 overall, 5-2 in WJCAC). Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CST.