Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
Fighting for a spot in the Region V tournament, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco basketball team needed a win over Western Junior College Athletic Conference foe New Mexico Junior College.
The Broncos overcame a 16-point deficit to take down the Thunderbirds in double overtime 83-75 Monday night at the Godfrey Athletic Center.
This marks the fifth overtime game of the season for the Broncos. NMMI went into overtime with top-ranked Odessa College last Thursday on the road, losing by three.
NMMI has had a flair for the dramatic recently as its last six games had been decided by single-digit deficits.
The Broncos avenged an overtime loss suffered to NMJC back on Jan. 13.
"I really believe we were still feeling the effects of that last game against Odessa," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "They bounced back, they played hard. We take care of the next two, I think we can solidify third. We control where we finish."
Within the first five minutes of the opening half, there were three ties in the score. NMMI had led by three before a three-pointer by NMJC's Elijah Beard tied the game at seven-all.
The Thunderbirds went on a 9-0 run to take a 13-point lead with 10:30 on the clock.
A trey by Tommy Chatman later extended NMJC's lead to 16.
NMMI struggled, making only nine field goals in the first half. Chatman had lead all scorers at the break with 12 points.
Trailing by 14 entering the second half, NMMI began to slowly chip away by cutting the deficit down to nine with 14:54 after getting four points from Reginald Ward.
The Broncos then got four quick points from Isaiah Williams to trail by seven. Nadjrick Peat later made one of two free throws to make the score 46-40.
NMMI used a 4-0 run to trail by four after a bucket by Luis Riascos Varon with 8:59 left in the contest.
Five points by Chris Bready, which included a clutch three-pointer down the stretch, put the Broncos behind by two.
Amiri Crowder tied up the game at 55-all when he landed a shot in the paint with 2:47 remaining.
The Thunderbirds regained the lead with two free throws by Jordan Booker.
Varon then tied up the game with a bucket before NMJC took another two-point lead with two free throws by Dario Domingos.
After a timeout by NMMI, Ward hit the game-tying shot with 16 seconds left in regulation.
Booker attempted a three but was off the mark as the Broncos rebounded the ball.
Chatman gave the Thunderbirds a three-point lead after knocking down a shot from beyond the arc with 3:19 in the first overtime period.
NMJC had led by as much as six before getting four points from Williams and Peat to cut the deficit to four.
Williams then got the Broncos to within one with a three-pointer that came off an assist by Ward with 1:14 to go.
Latik Murphy was later fouled as he made one of two free throws to tie the game.
With a chance to win, NMJC's Josaphat Bilau missed two key throws to send the game into another overtime period.
NMMI took care of business in the second overtime by outscoring NMJC 16-8.
The Broncos jumped out to a six-point lead and never looked back.
Varon led NMMI with 20 points while Williams made a pair of three-pointers to finish with 18 points and four rebounds.
Ward chipped in with 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
NMMI grabbed 51 rebounds. Jonathan Salazar also came down with nine boards.
The Broncos shot 22 of 31 from the free throw line.
Chatman scored 20 points for the Thunderbirds while he knocked down four 3-pointers. Booker added with 19 points.
Mouhamed Mbaye tallied 13 points and 11 rebounds while Domingos had 10 points.
NMJC knocked down eight 3-pointers and shot 15 of 19 from the charity stripe.
>> UP NEXT: NMMI travels to Midland College on Thursday before returning home to take on Western Texas College on Monday, Feb. 21 to close out the regular season.
NMMI 83, NMJC 75 (2 OT)
NEW MEXICO JUNIOR COLLEGE (15-12, 7-6)
Tommy Chatman 7 2-2 20, Elijah Beard 2 0-0 6, Jordan Booker 6 5-6 19, Elijah Hoard 1 0-0 2, Kaden McKean 1 0-0 2, Josaphat Bilau 1 1-2 3, Dario Domingos 3 4-5 10, Mouhamed Mbaye 5 3-4 13. Totals 26 15-19 75.
NMMI (16-11, 8-6)
Chris Bready 2 1-2 6, Isaiah Williams 6 4-4 18, Latik Murphy 1 3-4 5, Jordan Nelson 2 2-4 6, Nadjrick Peat 1 1-2 3, Jay'veon Coleman 2 1-1 5, Amiri Crowder 3 0-0 6, Luis Riascos Varon 6 8-9 20, Reginald Ward 4 2-5 10, John Mapiou 1 0-0 2, Jonathan Salazar 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 22-31 83.
NMJC…….35….24….8……8 --- 75
NMMI……23….36….8…..16 --- 83
3-point goals – NMJC 8 (Chatman 4, Beard 2, Booker 2); NMMI 3 (Williams 2, Bready). Rebounds – NMJC 44 (Mbaye 11, Booker 7); NMMI 51 (Ward 9, Salazar 9). Assists – NMJC 13 (Booker 5, Mbaye 4); NMMI 10 (Salazar 3). Total fouls – NMJC 26, NMMI 20. Fouled out – NMJC (Domingos, Mbaye); NMMI (Salazar). Technical fouls – None.
>> WJCAC scores from Monday, Feb. 14:
- Odessa 82, Midland 64
- South Plains 90, Clarendon 71
- Frank Phillips 70, Howard 63
>> WJCAC standings:
1. Odessa 22-5 (13-0); 2. South Plains 15-10 (9-4); 3. NMMI 16-11 (8-6); 4. (tie) Howard 15-10 (7-6); and NMJC 15-12 (7-6); 6. Frank Phillips 14-13 (5-8); 7. Western Texas College 14-13 (4-9); 8. Midland 11-16 (4-10); 9. Clarendon 8-19 (3-11).