(DCC Athletics release)
GLENDIVE – Similar to the storyline of their game at home a couple of weeks ago, the Dawson Community College basketball men controlled the entire game against the Northwest College Trappers, but couldn’t finish it off.
This time they couldn’t manage to score in the final five minutes and Northwest prevailed 65-55. It was a cold shooting night for the Bucs as they made only 27 percent of their shots from the field, including an abysmal 22 percent in the second half. Even with their poor shooting, the Bucs were still up 55-54 with 2:22 remaining in the game before Trappers big man Brian Howell hit his second three-pointer. Dawson called a timeout and executed well on their next possession, but Marcus Stephens couldn’t finish on a drive to the basket. The momentum swung for Northwest on their next trip up the floor when Lagio Grantsaan had a monstrous dunk to put them up by four points 59-55. The Bucs Beau Santsistevan came down and missed a three-pointer and Reme Torbert made them pay by driving and scoring on the other end. The nail in the coffin came on another dunk, this time by Howell. Northwest ended the game on a 13-0 run to claim the ten point victory.
It was an unfortunate ending for Dawson who held the lead for most of the first 37 minutes of the game. Their biggest margin was 8 points in the first half, but most of the way it was a 4-6 point margin. The Bucs only turned it over seven times in the first half and won the battle of the boards. Santistevan netted a couple of three-pointers and a drive in the first half to score 8 points. Brian Howell kept the Trappers in striking range with his 10 points. The home team was ice cold in the opening half shooting 3-16 from long range. It was a low scoring half in which Dawson won 33-27. The second half story line was very similar until Northwest made the big surge at the end of the game. One of the big keys to their comeback victory was controlling the boards with 18 more rebounds than the Bucs.
“This was another game that we should have won,” said DCC head coach Joe Peterson. “Similar to the first time we played them, we didn’t put them away when we had the chance. It is disheartening to be in control of the entire game, but not finish it off. We struggled to score tonight, but if we could have gotten some stops on key possessions, then it would have been a different result. I was disappointed by our rebounding in the second half. We started the game with that desire to go get the ball, but it faded as the game wore on.”
The Buccaneers were led by CJ Nelson and Marcus Stephens who both had 12 points. For the Trappers Howell and Brown finished with 16 points each while Torbert contributed 13 and Grantsaan had 9 to go along with 13 rebounds.
Dawson returns home for games on December 8-9.
Meantime, after falling to undefeated Sheridan College (10-0) Dawson’s women bounced back Saturday to beat Northwest College.
Whether on the road or playing in Glendive, the Lady Bucs have split all of their back to back games this early season.
On November 30, DCC traveled to play Sheridan College and lost 43-67. The Lady Bucs would strike first at the beginning of the game scoring the first two baskets. It appeared as if Dawson would stay close in the game with their stifling team defense. However, the Lady Generals would hold off DCC in every quarter. Dawson would only get as close as 1 point in the third quarter losing it 13-14.
Dawson would not only do well on team defense, but they were nearly tied rebounding with Sheridan against a good rebounding team who has been out-rebounding their opponents by 15. Both teams also turned the ball over the same with Dawson having 27 and Sheridan 25. The difference in the game was shooting. Dawson shot 23% from the field, 17 percent from the 3 point range and 58 percent from the free throw line.
There was no one on the team in double digit scoring. Alexius Foster was close with 9 points. Ejanae Coopwood had 6 points, 10 rebounds, 6 turnovers and 5 steals. Sarah Miranda and Kitawna Little Light would contribute in rebounding, 7 and 5 respectively.
In their second game of the weekend, the Lady Bucs managed to pull out a come from behind win by defeating Northwest College in the last seconds of the game. Dawson was down by 19 points with 5:15 minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Bucs used a vicious mix of backcourt presses and managed to win the game 69-68. They would convert their steals into points, make some free throws and sink three 3 point shots in the closing minutes.
Having problems with their offensive shooting and decision making, DCC executed when it counted. With 5.3 seconds left and the score tied 67-67, Northwest inbounded the ball at the half court sideline passing to the top of the key in the front court and Alexius Foster was called for a foul trying to intercept. Lady Trapper Selena Cudney missed the first shot at the foul line, and made the second. The Lady Bucs inbounded to Foster who dribbled the length of the court receiving a blind ball screen from Coopwood at mid-court and was fouled driving to the basket. With ice in her veins, Foster made both free throws to put Dawson ahead 69-68. With 1.3 seconds left, Northwest called a timeout again and advanced the ball to half court, and somehow managed to get a pass in the paint only for Cudney to fumble the ball.
Dawson had 12 steals, 16 turnovers and shot a much better 78 percent from the free throw line. They also outscored the Lady Trappers 31-20 in the last quarter. Foster found her scoring attack ending the game with 24 points to go along with 7 rebounds. Coopwood had 14 points and 3 steals. Rebounding contributions came from Maddison Carman with 7 and Sarah Miranda 6. Chynna Torrence came off the bench to score 7 points and get 3 rebounds.
“We had every opportunity to beat Sheridan, but just couldn’t score,” said head coach Romeo Lagmay, Jr. “We played great team defense and caused them to have 25 turnovers, had their top scorer scoreless along with two key guards in foul trouble, AND we were neck in neck in rebounding. We just couldn’t put the ball in the basket. Northwest was no different, except that we had low self-esteem in our play, but managed to find our fight again, and use it to our advantage as we knew it would pay off from other games we fought hard in. The players did well in not giving up!”
