(Grayslake, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's men's basketball team started out shooting ice cold in their Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) match-up with the College of Lake County. Eventually the 13th ranked Chiefs (25-3, 11-1) got their feet under themselves and found their shooting touch just enough to down the Lancers 63-54. For the game Waubonsee shot just 7 for 32 (22 percent) from three-point range but made a dozen free throws to hold off Lake County (9-18, 3-10) for their 25th win of the season.
Neither team could find the correct range in the opening two and a half minutes. The Lancers eventually scored first and grabbed a 6-0 lead five minutes into the game. At that point Waubonsee head coach Lance Robinson had seen enough and called a timeout. The Chiefs immediately responded as Duane Doss and David Robinson each scored on consecutive possessions to get Waubonsee going. Dylan Fuzak then buried three-pointers from each corner to get the Chiefs within 12-10 after eight minutes of action.
Waubonsee finally caught the Lancers and took the lead 18-17 at the nine-minute mark when Zachariah Hayslett drilled a triple from the left wing. The Chiefs would never trail again although their offensive struggles continued the rest of the first half as they shot just 4 for 20 from long range. Waubonsee still managed to hold a 25-21 lead heading into the break, despite scoring a season-low in points for a first half. The 25-point total was seven points less than their previous low and well under their halftime average of 47 points coming into the game. The Chiefs shot just 29 percent (10 for 34) in the first half.
The second half started with Fuzak drilling another trey, but the Lancers crept to within three points before Fuzak connected on another three-pointer a couple minutes later. Six minutes into the second half the Chiefs clung to a 37-33 lead while still looking for their rhythm on offense. Meanwhile, the Lancers deliberate, and patient offensive attack made Waubonsee work on the defensive end of the floor and kept the game close. A fast-break basket, a rare occurrence for the Chiefs for most of the game, staked them to a 41-35 lead with 11 minutes to go.
That seemed to spark Waubonsee's offense as they grabbed their first double-digit lead at 45-35 on a steal and lay-in by Doss with nine minutes left. The Chiefs then switched to a full-court press on defense trying to increase the tempo of the game. Waubonsee maintained a double-digit advantage until Justin St. Louis nailed a three-pointer with five minutes to go to get Lake County within 55-47. However, the Chiefs seemingly responded each time and pushed the lead back up to at least 10 points on several occasions. The Lancers did get the deficit down to six points in the final minute before Waubonsee secured the victory at the foul line.
Robinson led Waubonsee with 13 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals. Fuzak finished with 12 points on four three-point baskets, while Doss added 10 points and handed out three assists. Donovan Brown and Fernando Perez each hauled down six boards in the win. James Glazebrook posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Lancers. Jake Gibson chipped in with 12 points and seven boards, and Randall Holm pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked three shots.
Waubonsee is on the road again this coming Thursday, February 22, at Moraine Valley Community College in south suburban Palos Hills. The Chiefs return home for their regular season finale on Saturday, February 24, when they host McHenry County College starting at 3:00 p.m.. The Scots (20-8, 10-2) are currently in second place in the ISCC standings and handed the Chiefs their only loss in conference play back on February 1 in Crystal Lake. The women's contest that afternoon is set to begin at 1:00 p.m.