(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's men's basketball team remained undefeated on the season with an 88-78 win over visiting Joliet Junior College on Tuesday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. Ranked 17th nationally in the first regular season NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball poll, the Chiefs (4-0) kept the Wolves (1-2) at arm's length throughout the second half and never trailed in the game on the way to securing the victory.
On the strength a of pair of baskets by Reece Boyd and a three-point play by Duane Doss the Chiefs jumped out to a 9-2 lead two minutes into the contest. Not long thereafter Doss completed another three-point play for a 13-4 Chiefs lead. A running one-hander in the lane by Donovan Brown a minute later kept the lead at nine points. Joliet got as close as five points before the Chiefs built another nine-point lead 26-17 midway through the first half.
A strong move to the basket and lay-in by David Robinson helped Waubonsee keep the Wolves at bay with a 28-20 lead with eight minutes until halftime. However, the Wolves clawed their way back within one at 30-29 on the three-pointer by Jalen Williams with six minutes left. A minute later a long triple from beyond the arc by Dylan Fuzak gave the Chiefs a little breathing room and seemed to spark them on both ends of the floor. Waubonsee quickly surged ahead 39-31 with three minutes left until the break.
Not long after Fernando Perez slashed to the basket for a lay-in under duress as Waubonsee built the lead up to double-digits with under two minutes left in the half. The Chiefs eventually went to the locker room with a 45-33 advantage. Despite owning a slight advantage by out rebounding Waubonsee 24-21 the Wolves trailed as the Chiefs' relentless defense held them to just 33 percent (12 of 36) shooting. In comparison Waubonsee finished the half shooting 47 percent (16 of 34) and held a 16-3 edge in points off turnovers.
The teams traded baskets several times early in the second half until Romello Ali drilled a trey and was fouled. The freshman guard completed the four-point play to get the deficit back down to single digits at 49-41. Five minutes into the second half the Chiefs had expanded their lead back up to 12 points. Waubonsee gradually added to it taking a 19-point lead midway through the second half at 71-52 on a three-pointers by Donovan Taylor and Doss. Once more Joliet clawed its way back to within 11 points with six minutes to go. However, that was as close as the Wolves would get until the final minute of play when a put back basket by Devon Richardson made it an 88-78 score.
The 5'10" Doss tallied a game-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Brown chipped in with 17 points, while Perez booked 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Zachariah Hayslett came off the bench to score 10 points, snag nine boards and hand out four assists. The Chiefs are in action again a week from today, Tuesday, November 21 when they host Illinois Institute of Technology's Junior Varsity beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Erickson Hall Gymnasium.