College basketball: Wranglers survive OT scare to reach semifinals

BELTON The Odessa College Wranglers overcame some anxious moments to beat McLennan Community College 91-90 in overtime Thursday in the first round of the NJCAA Region 5 Tournament.

Odessa High graduate Jamel Guyton scored a game-high 25 points to lead No. 8 OC (27-4), while Tommie Sykes finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Carlos Rodriguez had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Delrico Lane had 16 points, going 11-of-14 at the line, and six assists.

Odessa College led by as much as nine points in the second half, but McLennan (22-9) tied it at 84 with seven seconds left in regulation. Guyton’s 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out to force the extra period, in which the Wranglers opened up quick lead and held off the Highlanders.

“The two big things are you need to get through the first round and you need to get through with nobody hurt, and that’s what we did,” OC coach Dennis Helms said. “We played well at times, but it seemed like when we got those nine-point leads we relaxed and just made it tougher on ourselves. We just need to be happy that we won, and now we’ve got to go get ready for Saturday.”

Walt Harris scored 22 points for McLennan, while Tray Carmouche came off the bench to hit six of the Highlanders’ eight 3-pointers and score 20 points. Quenton Kirby had 19 points, and Jordan Glynn had 12 points.

OC will take on Western Junior College Athletic Conference rival Howard College in the semifinals at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, while No. 7 Midland College will play South Plains College in the other semifinal. Odessa College went 4-2 against those teams during conference play.

“What we have to worry about is all these teams know they can apply some pressure on us,” Helms said. “We’ve got to handle it and handle it consistently. As long as we’re running our offense where can get into it and take good shots, then we find ways to have success. When we don’t, then we start looking like a poor team.”

Odessa College 91, McClennan 90 (OT)

McLENNAN (22-9)

Catrell Currie 1-6 1-1 3, Walt Harris 9-17 3-4 22, Flavio Milam 0-3 0-0 0, Jordan Glynn 3-6 6-6 12, Quenton Kirby 8-9 3-6 19, Tray Carmouche 7-10 0-0 20, Dwayne Soders 2-2 2-2 6, Kerri Hagood 1-4 3-5 6, Jeremy Fonteneaux 1-3 0-1 2, Jamarcus Little 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-61 18-25 90.

ODESSA COLLEGE (27-4)

Jamel Guyton 9-15 2-2 25, Jesse Joseph 1-2 2-2 4, Delrico Lane 2-5 11-14 16, Tommie Sykes 7-11 5-7 20, Carlos Rodriguez 4-8 3-4 11, Devon McLendon 3-9 1-1 7, Damien Williams 3-3 0-2 6, Dexter McMarion 0-0 0-0 0, Jerel Blocker 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 30-55 24-32 91.

Halftime — Odessa College 33, McLennan 29. End of Regulation — Odessa College 84, McLennan 84. 3-Point goals — McLennan 8-22 (Currie 0-5, Harris 1-3, Kirby 0-1, Carmouche 6-9, Hagood 1-4), OC 7-26 (Guyton 5-11, Lane 1-3, Sykes 1-4, Rodriguez 0-3, McLendon 0-5). Total fouls — McLennan 22, OC 14. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — none. Rebounds — McLennan 27 (Milam 5, Glynn 6), OC 43 (Sykes 10, Rodriguez 10, Williams 10). Assists — McLennan 4 (Harris 1, Milam 1, Kirby 1, Carmouche 1), OC 10 (Lane 6).

THE MEN

Region V Tournament

At University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton

Thursday’s Games

First Round

Game 1 — Midland College 76, Collin County 58

Game 2 — South Plains 92, Weatherford 87

Game 3 — Odessa College 91, McLennan 90, OT

Game 4 — Howard 73, Temple 71

———

Saturday’s Games

Semifinals

Game 9 — Midland College (28-3) vs. South Plains (24-5), 12:30 p.m.

Game 10 — Odessa College 27-4) vs. Howard (24-7), 2:30 p.m.

———

Sunday’s Games

Final

Game 13 — Midland College-South Plains winner vs. Odessa College-Howard winner, 2 p.m.

THE WOMEN

Region V Tournament

At University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton

Today’s Games

First Round

Game 5 — McLennan (22-8) vs. Howard (24-6), 12:30 p.m.

Game 6 — South Plains (24-3) vs. Collin County (18-12), 2:30 p.m.

Game 7 — Midland College (25-5) vs. Temple (17-12), 5 p.m.

Game 8 — Weatherford (21-5) vs. Western Texas (18-11), 7 p.m.

———

Saturday’s Games

Semifinals

Game 11 — Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 5 p.m.

Game 12 — Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m.

———

Sunday’s Game

Final

Game 14 — Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 5 p.m.