Jan. 8, 2008

Final Stats

STERLING -- There were a lot of factors in Monday night's game that were similar to the North Idaho game that the Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen lost at the Salt Lake Classic before the Christmas break.

First, they opponent was a good team. The Plainsmen had a halftime lead and lost it. North Idaho ran off a 12-2 run, while Frank Phillips recorded a 14-4 run. Finally, both teams were active on the rebounds.

The only difference between the two is that, this time, the team pulled out the win.

NJC grabbed the lead for good with 3:09 to play on a basket by sophomore Jeron Lewis, as the team turned in a 88-82 victory at the Bank of Colorado Event Center.

The Plainsmen, ranked 15th in the nation, improved to 14-2 this season, while Frank Phillips drops to 12-5.

"I was happy with the guys, mainly because this was the same type of game as the North Idaho game," NJC head men's basketball coach Eddie Trenkle said. "It was the same game and this time we found ways to pull it out. I think the guys have finally figured it out."

Frank Phillips is a solid team that can shoot the ball well and proved that early, matching every basket Northeastern connected on. The game began with a technical foul. Even before the tip-off, NJC led 1-0.

After a pair of free throws by Alex Garcia-Mendoza to tie the game for the fifth time at nine apiece, sophomore Mike Dominguez took a charge on defense, which translated into a basket by sophomore Tyson Lawrence. Garcia-Mendoza would tack on another score, but Frank Phillips tied the game right back at 15.

Back to back buckets by freshman A.J. Wilson, including a monster dunk, gave his team a short 23-20 lead. Dominguez would later hit a three-pointer to break another tie at 35-all.

Sophomore Troy Smith connected on a three-point play the untraditional way, making one of two free throws and rebounding his own miss for two points. NJC would hold tight to a 41-40 lead at halftime.

The team kept the small lead for a little while to begin the second half, as a tip in by sophomore Eric Miller gave his team a 47-45 lead. The run for Frank Phillips would begin from there, a 14-4 run partially credited to turnovers and miss shots by NJC.

Coach Trenkle called a time out with 13:19 to play, down 59-51.

"I told the guys that we just had to take it one possession at a time," Trenkle recalls during the time out. "There is time on the clock, just take it one possession, one rebound at a time."

That is exactly what they did. Smith connected on a three-point play, and Lewis recorded three-straight scores underneath. A layup by Garcia-Mendoza tied the game at 66, still with 8:41 remaining.

Frank Phillips would increase their lead to six points, but another tip-in by Miller would tie it again at 76 with under five minutes to go. Lewis made a shot to put his team up 80-78 and a nice look from Dominguez to Smith on the next possession gave the Plainsmen a four point lead.

Free throws and another thunderous dunk by Wilson capped off the win for Northeastern, a win that featured 19 ties before the team pulled it out.

"I think after playing at the Salt Lake tournament, we learned most how to play through adverse situations," Trenkle said. "Anyone could tell at Salt Lake that we were frustrated. Now the guys never give up, even when they are playing down, which is what last year's team was all about."

The Plainsmen, along with the Plainswomen, will had a tough stretch of games when they play three games in the next five days before returning home. NJC travels north to play North Platte Community College today, followed by a trip to Sheridan (Wyo.) Community College on Friday, Jan. 11.

They play Casper College on Saturday, before returning home Tuesday, Jan 15 against Eastern Wyoming College.