(Milwaukee, WI) – The showdown between two of the top ranked teams in the latest NJCAA Division II men's basketball poll lived up to its billing. In the end 9th ranked Milwaukee Area (WI) Technical College pulled out an 86-85 victory over 14th ranked Waubonsee Community College before a packed house at Alverno College's Reiman Gymnasium on the south side of Milwaukee. The Stormers (7-2), the defending National Champions, grabbed 24 offensive rebounds leading to 28 second chance points to win the intense contest. The game featured seven ties and 10 lead changes in the final 12 minutes of play, including the final one with 0:08 left on a pair of free throws. The Chiefs (5-1), who nearly reached the Final Four at last year's National Tournament, were out rebounded overall 62-38.
Milwaukee Tech went inside to score the first two baskets before David Robinson scored on a drive to the basket for Waubonsee. Robinson scored on two more acrobatic lay-ups to pull the Chiefs within 7-6 four minutes into the game. A minute later Robinson hammered a two-handed dunk off an inbounds pass and scored again to tie the score at 10-all. The Stormers answered with a 7-0 run before Robinson scored on a putback, duplicating what he did in Waubonsee's last game where he also scored his team's first dozen points. A three-pointer from the right corner by Fernando Perez got the Chiefs within 21-17 with 12 minutes to go in the first half. Milwaukee Tech answered again with a 5-0 run before a turnaround jumper in the lane by Perez got the deficit back to seven points. A driving basket in traffic and a pair of free throws by Perez made the score 30-25 at the midway point of the half.
Each time the Chiefs got within striking distance the Stormers responded. At the seven-minute mark Waubonsee still trailed 37-31 until Reece Boyd connected on a long trey. The Stormers' Ke'Varius Taylor, a native of Tallahassee, Florida, answered with a triple of his own as the home team built its' lead to double-digits at 44-34 two minutes later. Dylan Fuzak nailed a three from the top of the key and Duane Doss scored on a drive to the rim to again make it a five-point game with four minutes left in the half. However, over the next couple of minutes the Chiefs failed to score on four straight possessions before eventually cutting the deficit to three points with a minute until halftime. But once more the Stormers answered and carried a 49-43 lead into the locker room.
Waubonsee opened the second half with an 8-4 run to pull within 53-51 highlighted by a pair of baskets in the lane by Donovan Brown. Robinson then picked up his third foul and had to go to the bench as the Stormers quickly built their lead back up to six points five minutes into the period. The Chiefs clawed their way back within two points when Fuzak drilled a long three-pointer to make it 59-57. Waubonsee finally tied the game a minute later when Aboubacar Sidibe scored on a fast break. A moment later Perez netted a pull-up, 15-foot jumper to give the Chiefs their first lead with 12 minutes remaining.
Milwaukee Tech responded again to take the lead back as the intense battle went back and forth. The home team clung to a one-point lead at the midway point of the second half. However, a missed dunk and a basket by the Chiefs put them back in front as the lead changed hands several times. A long triple by Nahcere Abdur-Rasheed put the Chiefs ahead 70-68 with seven and a half minutes to go. A power move and score inside by Milwaukee Tech's 6'7" Jayquan Hickles put his team ahead again just before the shot clock expired to make it 72-71 as the five-minute mark approached.
Not long after a running one-hander by Doss put Waubonsee ahead 75-73 with four minutes to go. An offensive rebound and put back basket by Robinson gave the Chiefs a 77-75 lead moments later. Taylor then tied it on a put back score of his own before Perez nailed a pair of free throws for a two-point Waubonsee lead. Doss then made a steal and scored on a fast break for a four-point advantage with two and a half minutes remaining. However, Qi-Andre Washington converted a three-point play to make it 81-80. Doss came up big again with a fade away 10-foot jumper before Washington scored again to make it a one-point game once more.
Perez then had a short jumper roll around the rim and fall off as Milwaukee Tech corralled the rebound with a minute left in the game. Shamann Artis, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, quickly scored on a reverse lay-up with 0:49 to go to give the Stormers the lead. After Waubonsee head coach Lance Robinson called timeout Doss scored on drive to rim when play resumed to put the Chiefs in front 85-84 with 0:40 left. Milwaukee Tech's Antonio Foxwell missed a three from the top of the key and Brown snagged the board and was fouled by the Stormers with 0:24 left. However, Brown missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity and Milwaukee Tech secured the rebound. With the crowd on its feet Taylor drove to the rim and was fouled with 0:08 remaining. The sophomore guard made both charity tosses to put the Stormers back in front. Doss then pushed the ball up the floor and misfired on a fade away jumper as the buzzer sounded to the delight of the boisterous home crowd.
Robinson finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four steals to pace the Chiefs. Perez tallied 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Doss also booked 16 points, handed out seven assists and snagged five boards. Taylor led all scorers with 23 points to go along with six rebounds and three blocked shots. Hickles had a huge game netting 19 points and hauling down 19 rebounds. Washington contributed 12 points and Foxwell, a native of Eldersburg, Maryland, corralled 10 rebounds for the Stormers.
Waubonsee is in action again this coming Saturday when they travel to Danville, Indiana to take part in the Hendrick County Hoopfest. The Chiefs are set to play Indiana Elite College Prep at 2:45 p.m. (EDT). Waubonsee returns to Erickson Hall Gymnasium on next Tuesday, December 5 when they host Kishwaukee College beginning at 7:30 p.m. (CDT). Coach Jim Williams' women's squad is also set to host the Kougars that evening with a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.