Men's Basketball Falls in National Tourney Opener

HERKIMER, N.Y. – Dallas College Mountain View men's basketball team made a late comeback bid before falling short in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Tournament opener to host Herkimer College Wednesday, falling 81-71.

Mountain View (15-19) pulled even with 4:35 remaining after Ashton Price sank a pair of free throws. Jesse Killian's layup at the 2:11 mark capped an 8-0 Herkimer run. Mountain View's Jeremiah Talib made three straight free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer, and Price sank two more 25 seconds later as the Lions trimmed the deficit to three. But Herkimer (24-4) closed the game with a 7-0 run to seal the win.

Mountain View will meet Northern Essex, which fell to Dallas College Richland in the tournament opener, in Thursday's 8 a.m. CT consolation game.

Price finished with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Augustine Chibuko had 14 points, 13 boards and two blocks for the Lions, which shot 33 percent. Jeremiah Talib had 18 points off the bench. Louis Conner scored eight points, had five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Herkimer's Kenny Freeman finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Jayson McGhee had 15 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Jayden Norris had 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and Josiah Smith 11 points and seven boards.

Herkimer shot 45 percent.

The Generals led by as many as 11, and took control after Chibuko scored the game's first basket.

Price scored 18 points in the second half, while Talib had 10.