NMMI Sports Press
The Broncos played one of their best games of the season Thursday at Cahoon Armory, but it wasn't quite enough to take down the No. 4 team in the country as the Institute fell 81-77 to the visiting Odessa College Wranglers.
"I'm proud of my guys," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "For a bunch of young guys that have struggled all year, it would've been real easy for them to just roll over and die, and they didn't. We had our chances."
The game was broadcast nationally on the ESPN+ streaming service, and it was the first time the Corps of Cadets were able to attend the game en masse, two factors that seemed to encourage the young Broncos to play up to the moment.
"I appreciate the Corps being here," Schooley said. "It made a difference and meant a lot to the guys, and they responded well. We took a 35 point beating at their place. At one point in that game it was 35-9. Tonight we gave Odessa all they could handle."
The Broncos outrebounded the Wranglers 45-35, an impressive feat considering Odessa ranks 39th in the nation in the category while NMMI ranks 151st. Shooting percentages were comparable across the board and each team amassed a total of 10 blocks and steals, but the big difference was turnovers.
NMMI turned it over 20 times to Odessa's 13, with the most crucial giveaways coming in crunch time.
The Broncos held a nine-point lead, their largest of the game, with a little more than six minutes left in the game. Over the next three minutes, NMMI gave the ball away four times. The last turnover led to the eighth tie of the night at 75-75.
Freshman wing Quentin Bolton missed a 3-point attempt and Odessa made one going the other way to take the lead. Bolton came back with a 2-point jumper to bring the Broncos within a point.
Odessa stretched the lead back to three before freshman forward Yanis Ndjonga tried a contested 3-pointer with 15 seconds left. The shot didn't fall and the Wranglers took it the other way, were intentionally fouled and then gave the Broncos a little hope by missing the first free throw.
But they sank the second to go up four, icing any chance for the Broncos to catch up.
Ndjonga led all scorers with 19 and added seven rebounds. The true freshman from Cameroon shot 50 percent from the field and behind the arc, and he drained 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Bolton recorded a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. The true freshman from Racine, Wisconsin has been a bright spot, along with Ndjonga, for the Broncos this season.
"Before the game I had a personal goal. I didn't worry about how many points I scored, as long as I get 15 boards, which I accomplished. Like they've been telling me all season, as long as you crash the boards, the points will come.
Bolton has several Division-1 offers, including basketball powerhouse Austin Peay, but on Thursday he was thankful and proud to be a Bronco.
"Having the opportunity to come to this school is an honor," he said. "This is one of the best conferences in the county. I feel like this conference has helped me grow into a better player, the player I want to be at the next level."
Sophomore guard Chandler Alexander had his best night as a Bronco, going 5-for-7 from the field and 3-for-5 from deep to score 14.
Schooley said he was happy to see his guys perform up to their abilities and have fun while doing it.
"We've come up short these last three games, but they're playing hard and really starting to buy in to what we're saying," he said. "Coach (Kennedy) Miller and Coach (Troy) Coleman put in the new offense. That kind of kept us moving a little bit better. They really tried to do what we asked and they played at a high level."
The presence of the Corps made for an electric atmosphere inside historic Cahoon Armory, as the enthusiastic cadets sang, chanted, stomped and cheered throughout the game. Halftime had some extra pizazz with a performance by the multiple national-title winning Charlie's Angels dance team from Roswell High School.
The Broncos (8-19, 1-12 in conference) have just three games left in what could be called a lost season, but there's more optimism around this team right now than at any point.
"If they can continue to make strides like that we can work to grow for the following season," Schooley said. "We're going to lose a couple, but that's what this is all about. I'd love to keep Quentin and he's welcome to stay, but the whole reason you go to junior college is get yourself ready for the next level."
NMMI's next game is at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs on Monday. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m.