LAMAR, Colo. – JJ Harris' 14-foot buzzer-beater was the only shot that mattered as the Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team opened South Sub-region with a thrilling 60-58 win over Lamar Community College Monday in Lamar, Colorado.
The win pushed the Cougars' win streak to four games and to 11-7 overall. WNCC is now 1-0 in conference play right behind Trinidad State College, who is 2-0. WNCC and Trinidad State face each other Friday at Cougar Palace.
Harris, who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, said they didn't have their best offensive game, only hitting 1-of-23 3-point shots and going 24-of-61 from the field.
Still, it was the defensive effort in the first half that was key, holding Lamar to just 22 first-half points.
"I feel like we didn't play our best basketball on the offensive end, didn't really hit shots or really didn't take care of the basketball like we are capable of doing," the sophomore from Tallahassee, Florida, said. "With that being said, we still found a way to come away with a win because we stayed together through it all."
The first half was what won the game for the Cougars. Lamar jumped to an 8-2 lead and led 10-6 before WNCC went on a 12-0 run to lead 18-10 behind a Willie Wilson dunk. From there, the Cougars kept Lamar in check in scoring and led 32-22 at the break.
"First half, we were really locked in defensively helping each other communicating," Harris said. "I feel like in the second half, we started off strong but we didn't put them away. We got a little too lazy and gave them confidence to think they can stick around with us."
The second half saw Lamar cut the WNCC lead to single digits at 40-31. The Cougars went on a 12-3 run to lead 52-34 and seemed in control. That was when the Cougars had trouble scoring and Lamar went on a 16-2 run to make it a 54-50 game.
The final two minutes had plenty of nail-biting action. WNCC went up 56-50 on a Wilson bucket before Lamar kept it at 56-52. Harris buried a shot with 2:25 to play to put it back to 58-52. That was when Lamar went on a 6-0 run and tied the game at 58 with about seven seconds to play.
Harris got the ball and drove the court and as time was running out, put up a running 14-footer just before the buzzer which went through the bucket for the game-winner.
Harris said the win was all God for looking down on the team and the win was crucial as they keep building to winning the sub-region and the regional tournament.
"By most importantly keeping God the center piece of it all because without him, none of this would be possible," Harris said. "Also by locking in day-by-day and approaching every day like it's the championship game to advance to Hutch. If we continue to stay together and be disciplined soldiers for our coach, everything else will fall into line and I love our chances going into these next few conference games."
WNCC didn't have the best shooting night, but what they did was play strong defense when they needed to. The 22 points that Lamar scored is one of the lowest first-half points allowed in a number of years.
WNCC won the rebound battle 38-33 as Harris and Anthony Simo each had seven boards followed by Stephen Ovia with six.
WNCC's only 3-pointer came early in the second half when Travis Easterly, Jr., nailed a triple.
Wilson led the Cougars with 16 points followed by Harris' 12. Simo finished with eight points while Easterly, Jr., and Ovia each had six.
Harris said this team has what it takes to win a regional title as long as they keep believing in themselves.
"Like I said, continue to put God first and good things will happen," he said. "Without each other none of this would be possible. It's us against the world. I just want to thank the man above, my family, and the most important piece of the puzzle Coach Billy Engel for making this all possible."
WNCC (11-7) 32 28 – 60
Lamar (7-11) 22 36 – 58
WNCC
JJ Harris 12, Maurice Walker 2, Anthony Simo 8, Danilo Gilsovic 2, Willie Wilson 16, Travis Easterly, Jr. 6, Stephen Ovia 6, Elijah Burney 5, Daniel Bula 3.