(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College's men's basketball team remained unbeaten by holding off Joliet Junior College for a 90-75 victory on Thursday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (3-0), ranked 19th in the most recent NJCAA Division II poll, tallied 27 assists as a team and shot over 50 percent from the field for the third straight game. The Wolves (2-3), ranked 14th in the latest Division III poll, shot just 2 of 21 (9.5 percent) from three-point range for the game. Waubonsee also tallied seven more dunks in the game giving them 20 over their first three contests.
Waubonsee got on the board first on a pair of free throws by Freddy Hassan after a minute of action. But the Chiefs were flat shooting the ball and Joliet was able to get inside for some easy baskets on the way to taking a 9-5 lead four minutes into the game. After a Waubonsee timeout Chikasi Ofoma got free and hammered home a two-handed power slam to spark the Chiefs' offense. Before Joliet knew it Waubonsee scored seven quick points to take a 12-9 lead. Waubonsee gradually extended its lead keyed by a three-pointer by Josiah Mayes. Great ball movement resulted in another Mayes' triple a short time later as the Chiefs took a 25-13 lead as the halfway point of the half approached.
Two minutes later Dirk Nickson stole the ball near midcourt and slashed his way to the rim for two to make it 29-18. However, Joliet responded with a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to get within two points. A chaotic sequence where the ball changed hands multiple times in 20 seconds of action ended with a close in basket for the Wolves as they stayed within striking distance. Joliet finally caught the Chiefs at 31 on a putback basket by Kareem Parker. Mayes and Nickson then each scored on drives to the basket to give the Chiefs a little breathing room with a 38-33 lead with two minutes left in the half. Baskets by Ofoma and Nickson in the final seconds of the half made it 42-35. But a falling, desperation 17-foot jumper by Joliet's Kaden Faber at the buzzer cut Waubonsee's lead to five heading into the intermission.
The teams exchanged baskets in the opening minute of the second half until Hassan soared in for a two-handed slam dunk in transition to suddenly give the Chiefs a 48-39 lead. Waubonsee's lead reached double digits again when Hassan threw down a thunderous two-handed jam off a feed from Ofoma. The Chiefs took their biggest lead of the game to that point moments later when Ofoma scored in traffic to make it 55-42. But Joliet again battled back with an 8-0 run to pull within five before Chris Rhoades knocked down a three-pointer eight minutes into the second half. A long trey by Nickson from the top of the key and one from the right corner by Brayden Long extended the Chiefs' lead to 64-54 as the game reached the midway point of the second half.
Ehi Ogbomo drained an eight-foot jumper in the lane a minute later as the Chiefs maintained a double-digit lead. Moments later Long dished off to Ofoma who finished at the rim for a two-handed slam to the delight of the home crowd. Ofoma then brought the crowd to its' feet with a behind the back pass in traffic to Hassan who slammed down a two-handed dunk. Ofoma then showed he can do it all as he drilled a three-pointer on the next trip down the floor to give the Chiefs a 73-62 lead with six minutes to go. The Chiefs gradually extended their lead from there but just couldn't quite put the Wolves away. Waubonsee broke the Wolves' full-court press and Hassan finished off a three-on-two break with a two-handed slam as the Chiefs lead reached 15 points with a couple minutes left. A minute later the Chiefs again broke the Joliet press and Ofoma finished with another dunk to cap off the victory.
Hassan and Ofoma were a two-man wrecking crew as far as Joliet was concerned. Hassan tallied 19 points, snagged eight rebounds, dished out six assists and blocked two shots. Ofoma also booked 19 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out five assists and blocked two shots. Ogbomo finished with a dozen points, nine boards and three assists. Nickson also scored 12 points and made two steals, while James Parker gave the Chiefs a fifth player in double figures with 11 points, five assists and three steals.
Coach Lance Robinson's Chiefs are in action again next Monday, November 17 when they host the Rockford University Junior Varsity beginning at 7:00 p.m. Waubonsee is on the road in Wisconsin the rest of November as they travel to Madison College, Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, and Milwaukee Area Technical College. The Chiefs are also scheduled to play in Benton Harbor, Michigan to square off against Lake Michigan College on December 2. After that Waubonsee returns home on December 4 to battle the College of DuPage with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off that evening. The women's game between the Chiefs and Chaparrals is set to begin prior to that at 5:30 p.m.
JJC's Victor Yatou wins the jumpball over Freddy Hassan CJ Savage with an acrobatic reverse lay-in Point guard James Parker makes a move