(Sugar Grove, IL) –Waubonsee Community College took the lead from the start and never looked back in downing Olive Harvey College from Chicago 92-82 in the first round of the Region IV Division II District 3 Men's Basketball Tournament. The second-seeded Chiefs (19-7) maintained a double-digit lead throughout much of the game to knock off the seventh-seeded Panthers (21-9). Waubonsee is set to host third-seeded Bryant & Stratton College from Wisconsin this coming Sunday, February 27 at 1:00 p.m. in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Bobcats (18-12) handily defeated sixth-seeded College of Lake County 88-52 to advance to Sunday's Semi-Final match-up with Waubonsee. Sunday's contest can be seen 'live' on-line at www.GoChiefs.com
Waubonsee came out of the gates with defensive intensity, limiting the Panthers to just one point over the opening five minutes of play en route to jumping out to a 9-1 lead. Midway through the half the Chiefs still held an eight-point lead at 20-12 before the Panthers got within four points a few minutes later. Waubonsee then erupted on offense, going on a 12-0 run to take a 39-24 lead with four minutes left until halftime. A three-point play and reverse lay-in by Colton Schutt in quick succession started the run. Traevon Brown then scored in transition, Cooper Larsen followed with an inside basket and Joey Niesman buried a long three-pointer. The Chiefs eventually went to the locker room with a 44-30 lead at the break.
Brown started the second half by going coast-to-coast, nailing a 10-foot pull up jumper after corralling the rebound at the other end. A moment later Niesman went up high to snag an offensive rebound and quickly dished it off to Brice Langford for an inside basket and a 48-30 Chiefs' lead. A pair of free throws by Brown made it 60-40 five minutes into the second half. Waubonsee maintained a comfortable cushion over the next seven minutes of play and grabbed its' biggest lead of the game at 76-52 on a triple by Niesman with seven minutes remaining. The Chiefs still led by 16 points with three minutes left before the Olive-Harvey finished with a flurry of three pointers. The Panthers connected on three straight from beyond the arc in the final thirty seconds to pull within eight points to make the contest look closer than it was.
Waubonsee had three players all finish with 15 points to pace their balanced offensive attack. Niesman booked 15 points, including three long-range baskets, to go along with three assists, three steals and five rebounds. Brown also tallied 15 points, making all six of his free throw attempts, while also snagging six boards and dishing out four assists. Larsen also scored 15 points, hauled down eight rebounds and handed out a couple of assists. Langford chipped in with 14 points, blocked four shots and grabbed six boards, and Anthony Thompson gave the Chiefs five players in double figures with 12 points and four steals. Schutt nearly made it six double figure scorers for Coach Lance Robinson's crew as he chipped in with nine points and six assists, while Cam Russell registered four steals.