BASKETBALL: MC teams resume WJCAC play against New Mexico JC

By Oscar LeRoy
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - The Midland College basketball teams resume Western Junior College Athletic Conference play on Thursday night when they host New Mexico Junior College at Chaparral Center.

The Lady Chaparrals (10-4, 1-1) host No. 3-ranked New Mexico Junior College (14-1, 1-0) at 5:45 p.m., while the MC men (9-6, 2-0) host the Thunderbirds (8-7, 0-1) at around 7:30 p.m.

The Lady Chaps are coming off a 2-1 road trip to Arizona as they split a pair of games against Mesa Community College – winning 63-47, before losing 77-38 the next day – and then defeated Chandler-Gilbert Community College, 79-77, in a close game.

MC has been led by sophomore Bella Green with 13.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, while fellow sophomore Makayla Escue is averaging 11.1 ppg. Freshman guard Marin Lenz is chipping in with 10.4 ppg and has scored in double figures in the last four games, including a game-high 22 points in the win over Chandler-Gilbert.

The Lady T-birds have won 11 straight games and their only loss came at Grayson College (72-68) on Nov. 12. Five of their players average in double figures and the team is averaging 78.7 ppg., which is second to Clarendon College's 85.6 points per game average in the league.

The Chaparrals are looking to snap a three-game losing streak as they went 0-3 during the Fiesta Bowl JC Shootout in Mesa, Arizona. They lost to host Mesa Community College (64-61), South Plains College (58-38) in a non-conference game and Glendale Community College (52-45) as part of their most extensive losing streak of the season.

Up to that point, MC had been playing well despite battling some injuries along the way.

Freshman forward Franklin Agu leads the Chaps with 12.2 ppg, while freshman guard Christian Villegas is averaging 11.0 ppg.

NMJC also lost to South Plains (65-58) at the Fiesta Bowl JC Shootout and the Thunderbirds have lost four out of their last five games.

NMJC's only game and win in the WJCAC so far came in an 89-86 loss at Odessa College on Dec. 1.

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2021-22 WJCAC Men's Basketball Standings

Conference / Overall
     WL             WL

Odessa College 2 0 / 11-5

Midland College 2-0 / 9-6

South Plains College 1-0 / 7-6

Western Texas 1-1 / 11-5

Howard College 1-1 / 9-5

New Mexico Military 1-1 / 9-6

New Mexico JC 0-1 / 8-7

Frank Phillips 0-2 / 9-6

Clarendon College 0-2 / 5-10

Thursday's Games

New Mexico JC at Midland College; Odessa College at Western Texas College; Howard College at South Plains College; Clarendon College at New Mexico Military Institute; Frank Philips College is open

2021-22 WJCAC Women's Basketball Standings

Conference / Overall
     WL             WL

Clarendon College 2-0 / 16-1

New Mexico JC 1-0 / 14-1

Frank Phillips 1-0 / 10-6

Midland College 1-1 / 10-4

Western Texas 1-1 / 7-7

South Plains 0-0 / 6-5

Howard College 0-2 / 7-8

Odessa College 0-2 / 3-11

Thursday's Games

New Mexico JC at Midland College; Odessa College at Western Texas College; Howard College at South Plains College; Clarendon College and Frank Phillips College are open