(Sugar Grove, IL) –Waubonsee Community College's men's basketball team closed out its' regular season with a 100-82 win over visiting Oakton Community College, pulling away in the second half. The victory enabled the Chiefs (18-7, 9-5) to finish in a tie for second place in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) standings. Waubonsee will find out when and where it will begin post-season play this coming Sunday, after the seeding meeting for the Region IV Division II Tournament is held. For more information, go on-line to www.GoChiefs.com
In their previous meeting on February 5 in Des Plaines the Chiefs jumped out to a 47-31 lead at halftime and held on for a 74-64 victory. This time the Owls went toe-to-toe with Waubonsee from the beginning. After recognizing their sophomore players and their parents in a short pre-game ceremony, the Chiefs got on the scoreboard immediately. Traevon Brown nailed a three-pointer right after Waubonsee grabbed possession off the opening jump ball.
The teams traded baskets over the next several minutes of play. Joey Niesman then broke a 16-all tie with a long-range trey nine minutes into the half. That started an 11-2 run as the Chiefs grabbed a 27-18 lead. The Owls then went on a little run of their own as they connected on six straight shots to pull even at 34 apiece. A left-handed lay-in by Cam Russell in traffic in the final seconds of the half sent the Chiefs to the locker room with a slim 43-42 lead.
Whatever Chiefs' head coach Lance Robinson said at halftime, it lit a fire under his team. The Chiefs again scored first at the outset of the second half, which started a big scoring run. Niesman and Jaylyn Kelley each buried long three-point baskets as part of a 15-1 Waubonsee run the initial five minutes of the second half. The Chiefs continued to pour it on as they built a 70-47 lead just seven minutes into the second period. A three-point play by Niesman a moment later gave the Chiefs a 30-5 run over a seven and half minute span as they took control of the game.
Oakton got within 16 points with eight minutes left in regulation, but that was as close as they would get. A pair of free throws and a triple by Colton Schutt put the Chiefs ahead 86-63 a minute later as Waubonsee began to pull away again. The Chiefs hit the century mark on a three-pointer by Jordan Smith with just under half a minute to go in the game, the sixth time this season that they reached triple digits.
Niesman paced the Chiefs' attack with 28 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Brown poured in 18 points, handed out nine assists and made five steals. Kelley added 15 points, while Cooper Larsen chipped in with 12 points and six boards. All 11 Chiefs' players who saw action tallied at least three points in the victory.