Texans end season in Region V finals

by Cody Barron, staff writer

 

After sharing the Western Junior College Athletic Conference crown and advancing to the finals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region V Tournament, the South Plains College Texans came up just short of their chance to play for the NCJAA championship.

 

On March 11, the Texans faced the Midland College Chaparrals in the Region V Championship game to decide which team would move on to Hutchinson, Kansas for the NJCAA national tournament. 

 

By halftime, Midland had taken a one-point lead, 35-34.  The Chaparrals were able to stretch their lead to as many as 11, 75-64, with a little more than four minutes left to play.  The Texans pulled within four at 86-82 with 18 seconds remaining, but were unable to close the gap.  The 90-82 loss sent Midland to the NJCAA tournament and put an end to an outstanding season for the Texans.

 

Steve Harley finished his remarkable Texan career by leading all scorers with 27 points.  Lu Griffin added 16, while Malik Motnii chipped in 12 and Luciano DeSouza dropped in 10.

SPC faced Howard College on March 10 to determine which team would advance to the Region V Championship game the following day. 

 

The Texans trailed 25-21, but used Howard’s ice-cold second-half shooting to come away with the 55-46 victory. Jonathan Hall’s jumper with 14:20 left in the second half gave the Texans their first lead of the game.  Howard pulled within five on two separate occasions, but was never able to catch up.  

 

Harley led all scorers with 21 points. Jermaine Bolden put in 11, and Bolden helped out with 10 points in the victory.

 

On March 9, the Texans squared off against Southwest Christian College in the opening round of the Region V Tournament in Belton, Texas. 

 

SPC had four players who scored in double figures, as the Texans defeated SWCC 89-85.  The Texans shot 4 of 10 from 3-point-distance in the first half and built a 10-point lead, 49-39, at the half. 

 

SPC saw their lead grow to 12 at one point during the second-half, but SWCC cut the margin to just two with 18 seconds remaining.  However, free throws by Hall and Bolden in the final seconds would be enough to give the Texans the victory. 

 

Harley finished with 20 points.  Bolden and Motnii poured in 15 points each, and Griffin added 14.

 

On March 1, the Texans traveled to Hobbs, N.M. to battle NMJC in the last game of the regular season.

 

The Texans used a double-double from Lu Griffin to defeat the Thunderbirds, 82-63.  The victory for the Texans, coupled with Frank Phillips' 94-91 overtime victory against Midland College, gave SPC the co-championship of the WJCAC. 

 

Despite Griffin contributing 10 points and 12 rebounds off the bench in the first half, the Texans only led by six at the break, 39-33. The Texans were finally able to gain their focus and put away the Thunderbirds in the second half.

    

Griffin finished the game with 17 points and 19 rebounds, while Hall added 19 points and 11 rebounds. Harley chipped in 18 points, and Nick Okorie finished with 12.