CONCORDIA – Down nine with three minutes left in regulation, the Cloud County Community College women's basketball team would get a Branda Boakye layup with two seconds left to send things to overtime as an Idalis Lee block would seal a 64-63 overtime victory over Pratt Community College inside Arley Bryant Gymnasium on Wednesday.
Improving to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, the T-Birds have now won three of their last four games within the KJCCC while the Beavers slipped to 1-4 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
In a game that never saw a double-digit lead by either team, it would be a quick-paced start for both teams in the opening 10 minutes of action as the Beavers would jump out to a 4-1 lead before seeing the T-Birds storm back with seven of the next 10 points to go up 8-7 midway through the opening quarter. Both CCCC and PCC would exchange leads on the next three possessions as the Beavers would eventually get a pair of Christy Wiebe three's to go up 17-10 with 2:24 left in the opening period. Cloud County would have a response however to close out the first quarter, scoring six of the final seven points to close the gap to two at 18-16 heading to the second quarter of action.
After briefly taking the lead on back-to-back layups to begin the second frame, Cloud County would see Pratt reclaim the lead as another Beaver triple would put PCC up by a score of 21-20 with 8:12 remaining in the first half. Pratt would then manage to hold onto their lead for a majority of the remainder of the half as scoring would become a premium for both squads with Cloud County scoring the final six points of the quarter while holding the Beavers scoreless over the final 5:50 to grab a 28-27 lead at the half.
Two lead changes and one tie would welcome in a tight third quarter as neither team would be able to hold a lead of more than five in the opening five minutes of the second half. After jumping out to a 35-30 lead on a Le'Yanna McGinnis layup, Pratt would come back with five straight points to tie things up at the midway point of the quarter. The final 4:28 of the third would feature four ties and one lead change as the Beavers would return the favor to the T-Birds down the stretch and go on a 6-0 run to end the quarter while holding CCCC scoreless for the final 1:51 as PCC would claim a 47-41 lead heading to the fourth.
Cloud County would do their best to cut into the Pratt lead throughout the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, but the Beavers would have a response each time that the T-Birds would get within a possession. After pulling within two at 49-47 with 6:38 left in regulation, Pratt would use a free throw and pair of Wiebe triple's to take their largest lead of the game at 56-47 with just over three minutes remaining. Freshman Derin Akdeniz would have a response for the T-Birds with a triple of her own to cut the lead down to six as CCCC would then need a defensive stop. After getting a stop on the defensive end, the T-Birds would find McGinnis for two of her four fourth-quarter points as the once nine-point deficit was suddenly down to four.
Following a Beaver turnover, the T-Birds would have yet another successful trip down the floor as things would end in Sydni Keys layup with 49 seconds left in regulation as the coaching chess match would begin. Both teams would use a timeout to try and set up their next possession as CCCC would come away with another PCC turnover and a chance to tie or take the lead with 23 seconds left. Another timeout would be used by the T-Birds as Cloud County would turn a loose-ball scramble into an open Boakye layup across the paint as the game would get tied up at 56-56 with two seconds left. Pratt would get one last look at a game-winning attempt in regulation, but see the shot off the mark as CCCC would face their first overtime game of the season.
In the extra period, Cloud County would take their first lead since midway through the third on a McGinnis layup before seeing Pratt come back to reclaim the lead on a Jordan Mathis three. After an empty possession from both teams, Akdeniz would line up a triple off a Sydni Keys inbounds pass to go back up by a score of 61-59 before seeing the Beavers split a pair of free throws on their next trip down the court to make it a one-point game.
Free throw shooting would then become a factor as both teams would be sent to the line with McGinnis converting one of two for Cloud County while the Beavers would come up empty. Another pair of free throws by Pratt on their next possession would be split to make it a 62-61 contest with 1:42 remaining as the Beavers would turn a T-Bird turnover into a fast-break layup to go up 63-62 with 93 seconds remaining. Not to be outdone, Cloud County would get an offensive rebound and put back from McGinnis to allow CCCC to go back up by a score of 64-63 as Pratt would get another opportunity to try and take the lead.
Following a Beaver turnover, Pratt would be forced to foul as Alyssa Castilleja would be sent to the line with a chance to put Cloud County up three. Missing both free throws, PCC would secure the defensive rebound and play for the last shot as the Beavers would take two timeouts in the final seconds to try and draw up a play. Inbounding the ball with eight seconds left under the basket, Pratt would get a mid-range jumper from the baseline but see sophomore Idalis Lee for Cloud County come up big as the Brooklyn, NY native would block the would-be game-winning shot and secure the rebound to run out the clock and allow the T-Birds to take the one-point barn burner in front of their first home crowd of the year.
Holding a 55-45 advantage on the glass, Cloud County would score 16 second-chance points and take a commanding 42-24 lead in points in the paint. Pratt would rely on an eight-of-32 (25 percent) barrage from beyond the arc for their scoring output while also getting 17 points off 20 Cloud County turnovers.
Scoring five of CCCC's eight overtime points, McGinnis would score a game-high 27 points and add 12 rebounds while also recording three blocks and three assists. Akdeniz (13 points) and Keys (10 points) would also reach double-figures while Castilleja would grab seven rebounds and add three assists as part of a 42-minute outing.
What's next?
Cloud County is scheduled to be at home again on Saturday to play host to Garden City Community College for a 4 p.m. contest. The Lady Broncbusters were off on Wednesday night as their scheduled game with Butler was postponed due to health and safety protocols.
--cloudtbirds.com--