(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College men's basketball team moved to 5-0 on the season with a 94-61 rout of the North Central College Junior Varsity. The Chiefs, ranked 17th nationally in the latest NJCAA Division II poll, pulled away early in the second half by turning an 11-point lead into a 30-point advantage in just nine minutes of action. For the game Waubonsee shot 48.7 percent from the floor and out scored the Cardinals 50-8 in the paint.
The Cardinals came out firing, connecting on their first two shots for a quick 5-0 lead. Waubonsee got on the board when Brice Langford scored on a short teardrop one-handed shot a moment later. Four minutes into the contest J.Caleb Slawinski scored inside on his third attempt after his first two offerings were partially blocked. Seconds later Joey Niesman made a nice lob pass to a streaking Colton Schutt who laid the ball in to knot the score at 8-all. A minute later Langford connected on two free throws to put the Chiefs in front. After that the Chiefs' pressure defense and a pair of three-pointers by Jaylyn Kelley staked Waubonsee to a 21-13 lead midway through the first half.
The Cardinals responded as Connor Wright buried a pair of long treys to pull the visitors within 25-22 with eight minutes left in the half. However, over the next three minutes Waubonsee built a 35-22 lead as their relentless defense wore down North Central. Over the final four minutes of the half the Chiefs maintained at least an eight-point lead. A fantastic blocked shot by Niesman in the final seconds ensured that Waubonsee would take a double-digit lead into the locker room as they led 46-35 at the break.
The Chiefs quickly increased their lead in the opening minutes of the second half sparked by a long triple by Kelley. A steal and two-handed slam by Slawinski put Waubonsee in front 57-39 as Coach Lance Robinson's crew took control of the game. After a Waubonsee timeout Kelley drilled another three-point basket on the right wing to push the lead to 20 points just five minutes into the second period. The Chiefs then began an offensive onslaught as they extended the lead to 30 points midway through the half at 77-47. A thunderous one-handed dunk in traffic by Melo Garrick then capped off the Chiefs' surge.
Slawinski ended the game with 18 points and five rebounds in leading the Chiefs in scoring. Garrick finished with 17 points, while Kelley booked 14 points highlighted by four three-point baskets. Langford added 13 points, hauled down eight rebounds and dished out four assists. Duane Doss came off the bench to contribute 10 points and make three steals, and Niesman handed out four assists and made three steals. The Chiefs are in action again this Saturday, November 19 as they welcome Illinois Institute of Technology's Junior Varsity to Erickson Hall Gymnasium. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m. in Sugar Grove.