College basketball: Wranglers erase 18-point deficit to stun Chaps

Odessa College men’s basketball coach Dennis Helms has been looking for a boost from freshmen Devon McLendon and Damien Williams.

McLendon, in particular, delivered on Monday to help Odessa College beat fifth-ranked Midland College 84-76 in a Western Junior College Athletic Conference game at the OC Sports Center.

McLendon, who like Williams did not become eligible until this month, came off the bench to score a team-high 25 points to help OC (18-2overall, 5-1 conference) overcome an 18-point deficit in the second half.

Odessa College outscored Midland College 40-14 in the final 14 minutes. McLendon scored nine points down the stretch, but he said he had a lot of help in getting ready to break out.

“Everybody’s been helping me,” he said. “(Assistant coach Joseph) Goff works on me with my shooting after practice and running to get back in shape. Before we went on (semester) break, Coach Helms said me and Damien could either hurt us or help us. It looks like we helped out.”

For McLendon, the performance couldn’t have come in a better setting.

“I’m from Pennsylvania and didn’t know how big this rivalry is until (Monday),” he said. “I saw how many people came and all the news people. It’s real big. I’m glad to have a good game.”

Williams had three points and six rebounds, including three big boards in the final minutes as OC held off Midland College.

In beating a nationally ranked opponent for the second time in eight days, OC pushed its winning streak to seven games and finally moved up in the conference standings into at least a tie for second place.

Odessa High graduate Jamel Guyton, who scored 21 points, hit a 3-pointer with 2:54 remaining that put OC in front to stay. Tommie Sykes, playing on a sprained ankle, had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Carlos Rodriguez scored 13 points.

OC trailed by a point late in the first half before Midland College hit a pair of 3-pointers to take a 44-37 lead at the break. The Chaps eventually pushed the lead to 62-44 with 14:21 to go.

“I think the important thing was when everything looked bad, Dexter McMarion came in off the bench and gave us some life,” Helms said. “He really tried and gave us some life. Then, the five guys down the stretch played with all the heart in the world.

“I don’t think you can compliment Tommie Sykes enough. He sprained his ankle bad and had to leave practice on Saturday. He couldn’t practice Sunday, and he couldn’t do shootaround. That was a heck of an effort.”

Tyrone Appleton scored 28 points for Midland College (19-2. 5-2), but he was held to seven points in the second half.

“Devon played him smart,” Helms said. “We weren’t playing him smart in the first half. Appleton’s a first-team all-American, and you have to play those guys smart. He averages 11 points a game and still had seven in the second half. So he was still above his average for that, but it was enough for us.”

Greg Hill scored 19 points, David Terrell had 11 points and Darris Santee scored 10 points for Midland College.

After taking the 18-point lead, Midland College failed to score for nearly 4½ minutes as OC scored 11 consecutive points. Two emphatic dunks by Terrell ended the drought and pushed the Chaps’ lead back to 11 midway through the second half.

The margin still was nine with less than seven minutes to go, but Sykes converted a 3-point play and McLendon scored twice to help OC get within 70-69 with 5:12 remaining.

After Guyton’s 3 put OC ahead, McLendon hit another to give the Wranglers a 77-71 lead with two minutes left.

OC hit seven of eight free throws in the final minute to seal the win. Sykes was 11-of-13 at the line for the Wranglers, who made 25-of-37 free throws.

WJCAC standings

Team Overall Conf.

Howard 15-3 6-1

Odessa College 18-2 5-1

South Plains 17-1 5-1

Midland College 19-2 5-2

Frank Phillips 13-7 2-3

Western Texas 12-7 2-4

New Mexico JC 9-10 2-4

New Mexico Military 4-13 0-5

Clarendon 9-10 0-6

Monday, Jan. 21

Odessa College 84, Midland College 76

Howard 84, Clarendon 70 (OT)

New Mexico JC 83, Western Texas 78

Frank Phillips at New Mexico Military

South Plains, open

Thursday, Jan. 24

Odessa College at Frank Phillips

Howard at South Plains

New Mexico JC at Clarendon

New Mexico Military at Western Texas

Midland College, open

Odessa College 84, No. 5 Midland College 76

MIDLAND COLLEGE (19-1, 5-1)

Tyrone Appleton 11-17 3-4 28, Giorgi Gaprindashvili 0-1 0-0 0, Darris Santee 4-4 2-3 10, David Terrell 5-6 1-1 11, Greg Hill 5-15 6-9 19, Brad Kelleher 0-4 0-0 0, Wally Dunn 2-7 0-2 6, Charles Griffith 0-0 0-0 0, Larry Wilkins 0-2 2-2 2, Eddie Thompson 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 27-60 14-21 76.

ODESSA COLLEGE (17-2, 4-1)

Jamel Guyton 7-13 3-4 21, Delrico Lane 2-6 3-5 7, Tommie Sykes 2-6 11-13 15, Carlos Rodriguez 4-7 4-6 13, Jesse Joseph 0-0 0-0 0, Devon McLendon 9-12 3-6 25, Damien Williams 1-4 1-3 3, Dexter McMarion 0-0 0-0 0, Jerel Blocker 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-50 25-37 84.

Halftime — Midland College 44, Odessa College 37. 3-Point goals — MC 8-25 (Appleton 3-5, Gaprindashvili 0-1, Hill 3-9, Kelleher 0-2, Dunn 2-5, Thompson 0-3), OC 9-17 (Guyton 4-7, Lane 0-1, Sykes 0-1, Rodriguez 1-1, McLendon 4-6, Blocker 0-1). Total fouls —MC 30, OC 19. Fouled out — Gaprindashvili, Terrell. Technical fouls — none. Rebounds — MC 30 (Terrell 6), OC 41 (Sykes 8). Assists — MC 11 (Appledon 5), OC 10 (Lane 3).