College basketball: OC's Sykes has impact as Region V team wins NJCAA All-Star Game

In any other game - as in, one that counts - Tommie Sykes would not have flashed that big smile after missing a dunk in a five-point contest with fewer than 30 seconds remaining.

But he did, laughed along with the rest of crowd at the OC Sports Center, his teammates on the Region V squad, and even some of the referees.

Because this was the National Junior College College Athletic Association All-Star Game, likely his last time playing in front of an audience in the same venue where he suited up as a Wrangler for two years, and his team was on the brink of defeating the Division I All-Stars - which they eventually did, 117-114.

"I usually don't miss," Sykes said. "But it's an all-star game. You're supposed to show off for the fans. I had to laugh because they're going to clown me when I get back to the dorms."

A game that started 15-2 in favor of Region V - composed of top players from Odessa College's Western Junior College Athletic Conference and the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference - actually turned into something near the end, when Region V's steady lead, mostly double digits, was cut to four points at the 3:45 mark in the second half on a layup by Daryl Ashford (Jacksonville College).

From there, the teams exchanged some free throws and Region V mostly turned to Sykes for direction. After Shannon Shorter (Paris Junior College) brought Division I to within 108-105 with 1:15 remaining, Sykes handled the ball up top in the next possession and drove to the basket, making a layup and drawing a foul.

He made the free throw, and the Division I team quickly turned it over on the next possession. Again, Sykes handled the ball and drove, drawing a foul on a shot and making 1-of-2 free-throw attempts to make it 112-105.

It was after Sykes' free-throw attempts that Shorter made a layup with 28 seconds remaining and set up Sykes' missed dunk - but Region V's David Tairu (South Plains College) got fouled on a put-back attempt and made both free throws.

"I figured, hey, home crown, why not?" Region V head coach Jim Sigona (Collin County Community College) said of going to Sykes at the end. "But he did a great job tonight, I thought, of getting to the basket and getting to the rim and getting fouled. We were trying to clear stuff out for him."

For an all-star game, it was high-scoring like expected - Division III beat Division II 122-108 in the evening's earlier game - but it was not particularly flashy nor sloppy.

"There weren't as many turnovers as I thought," Sigona said. "A lot of times you get into these games and it's just turnover city. I thought both teams did a great job because there weren't as many turnovers as there are normally for all-star games"

Region V's Gilberto Clavell scored a team-high 19 points. He was one of the more passionate ones on the court, often yelling after baskets and putbacks.

"We got off to a really bad start," Division I head coach Kris Baumann (Garden City Community College) said. "We were down 15-2. They really came out and attacked us early. They came out and really played like they were representing their region. They got us on our heels right away and had us on our heels all night. Balls would rattle in and out and we couldn't catch up."

Representing Region V was something Sykes talked about leading up to the game, and afterward he said it was a motivating factor. Sykes finished with 17 points, including 8-of-12 free-throw attempts.

"This is the best conference," Sykes said. "They had all the states to pick from and we just have Texas. I love these guys."

>> Region V All-Stars 114, NJCAA Division I All-Stars 110

DIVISION I ALL-STARS

Raymond Sims 5 4-6 14, Deandre Brown 8 0-1 18, Stephon Weaver 3 0-0 8, Daryl Ashford 4 2-3 11, Eugene Bain 5 0-2 10, Richard Thomas 5 0-0 10, Ridge McKeither 2 2-9 6, Marquis Gilstrap 2 1-1 7, Maurice McNeil 10 3-6 23. Totals 45 12-28 107.

REGION V ALL-STARS

Landon Tatum 0 0-0 0, David Tairu 3 5-6 13, Adam Brown 4 2-2 12, David Terrell 2 0-0 4, Tommie Sykes 4 8-12 17, Rashaun McLemore 4 0-0 9, Gilberto Clavell 8 5-9 19, Jordan Glynn 7 1-2 15, Russ 11 0-0 23. Totals 43 16-31 114.

Halftime - Region V 65, Division I 54. 3-Point goals - Division I 5 ( Brown 2, Weaver 2, Ashford 1); Region V 6 (Tairu 1, Brown 2, Sykes 1, McLemore 1, Permenter 1). Total fouls - Division I 19, Region V 19. Fouled out - Division I 1 (McNeil); Region V 1 (Read). Technical fouls - None.