BASKETBALL: Strong start propels No. 14 Chaps over Howard
There wasn’t much rust for the No. 14-ranked Midland College men’s basketball team on Saturday afternoon.
By Oscar LeRoy
Midland Reporter-Telegram
BIG SPRING, TEXAS -
There wasn't much rust for the No. 14-ranked Midland College men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon.
Playing in their first game since Dec. 1, the Chaparrals got off to a good start against rival Howard College before holding off the Hawks for a 68-59 victory in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference opener at Big Spring's Dorothy Garrett Coliseum.
The Chaps (15-0, 1-0) raced out to a 22-7 lead early in the first half and had a 40-22 advantage at intermission.
The Hawks (10-5) made it a closer game in the second half by shooting 46.2% and cutting down on turnovers. Howard finished with 17 turnovers with 12 of which coming in the first half.
Doug Young had 15 of his game-high 22 points also in that big first half for the Chaps.
Xavier White added 11 points, Keonte Jones had 10 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out, and Roddrick Henry added nine points and 10 rebounds for MC.
Lorenzo "Trey" Fort led Howard with 17 points, Dontae Horne added 15 and Deng Mayar chipped in with 12 in the loss.
The Chaps return to the Chaparral Center at 7:30 p.m. Monday to host Frank Phillips College in the WJCAC home opener.
Follow Oscar on Twitter: @OLeRoy_MRT
NO. 14 MIDLAND COLLEGE 68, HOWARD COLLEGE 59
Midland College (15-0, 1-0) – Roddrick Henry 3-11 3-4 9, Christian Villegas 1-10, 0-0 3, Keonte Jones 4-12 2-2 10, Doug Young 10-19 0-2 22, Xavier White 4-7 0-0 11, Jaden Henderson 0-1 0-0 0, Eric Grier 2-3 1-2 5, Jamil Bowles 3-4 1-2 8. Totals 27-67 7-12 68
Howard College (10-5, 0-1) – Lorenzo Fort 4-14 6-7 17, Dontae Home 5-8 4-6 15, Kavion McClain 2-9 0-0 6, Deng Mayar 5-7 2-4 12, Kwo Agwa 1-5 2-4 4, Josiah Freeman 0-0 1-2 1, Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow 0-1 0-0 0, Darrius Davis 1-2 2-3 4. Totals 18-46 17-26 59
Halftime – MC 40, HC 22. 3-point goals – MC 7-24 (White 3-6, Young 2-5, Villegas 1-5, Bowles 1-2, Henry 0-1, Jones 0-5), HC 6-15 Fort 3-8, McClain 2-4, Horne 1-2, Davis 0-1). Total fouls – MC 19, HC 9. Fouled out – Jones. Technical fouls – Mayar. Rebounds – MC 36 (Henry 10, Jones 10), HC 31 (Horne 7, Agwa 7). Assists – MC 6 (Jones 3), HC 7 (McClain 3). Turnovers – MC 6, HC 17.
2022-23 WJCAC Men's Basketball Standings
| Conference | Overall | |||
| W | L | W | L | |
| Midland College | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Odessa College | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Frank Phillips College | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 |
| South Plains College | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| Howard College | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 |
| New Mexico Junior College | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| New Mexico Military Institute | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Western Texas College | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 |