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Western Texas College’s Nigel Allen gets ready to make a move during Monday’s game against Odessa College. The Westerners lost to Odessa, 81-76.
No. 12 Odessa College held off Western Texas College during the final minutes to claim an 81-76 win in a Western Junior College Athletic Conference basketball game at The Coliseum Monday.
Ja’Niro Lane’s 3-pointer gave the Westerners a 62-61 lead with four minutes left in the game. The Wranglers finished the game with a 20-16 run and survived WTC’s final attempt to force overtime.
Westerner sophomore Nigel Allen made a 3-pointer to cut Odessa’s lead to 79-76 with 32 seconds left. Odessa’s J.J. Simpson followed by making two free throws.
“The difference was we didn’t pay attention to detail,” WTC head coach Andre Owens said. “Odessa did what they wanted to do for the entire game. They were able to post and score, drive and score and drew fouls. The guys deserve credit for battling until the end, but we’ve got to get wins.”
WTC made 25-of-67 field foals (37.3 percent), including 7-of-23 3-pointers (30.4 percent). The Westerners were 1-of-9 from 3-point range in the first half and made 6-of-14 in the second half. Odessa made 27-of-58 field goals (46.6 percent).
Allen scored a game-high 20 points, including 13 in the second half. Demarcus Hartfield had 17 points, with 12 coming in the first half. Keandre Cook scored 19 points for Odessa.
“Hartfield and Nigel had good offensive games and we expected that from them,” Owens said. “We need to play better defense and shoot better. We didn’t take a lot of good shots. Odessa didn’t surprise us with anything and played like we expected. The game came down to execution.”
WTC will play at South Plains College and will look to snap a three-game losing streak.
“There is a long way to go in the conference,” Owens said. “It will be tough to get where you want in the conference if you lose three straight games.”
Odessa College scorers — Keandre Cook 19, L.J. Figueroa 18, Braxton Shaw 14, J.J. Simpson 10, Jahnathan Maxwell 7, Kejuan Johnson 6, Jermaine Haley 6, Kelvin Jones 1.
WTC scorers — Nigel Allen 20, Demarcus Hartfield 17, Miles McDougal 12, Isaiah Boissard 8, Ja’Nira Lane 7, Da’Rhon Mitchell 6, James Edwards 2, Jack Neal 2, Jordon Fullerton 2, Dieu Merci Betoukoumessou 2.
WTC statistics — Miles McDougal 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 blocked shot; Isaiah Boissard 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal; Zac Saddler 6 rebounds; Da’Rhon Mitchell 7 rebounds, 1 blocked shot; Demarcus Hartfield 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; James Edwards 2 rebounds; Nigel Allen 3 rebounds, 2 assists; Jordon Fullerton 1 rebound; Ja’Niri Lane 5 rebounds, 1 blocked shot; Johnnie Jones 1 rebound, 1 blocked shot; Dieu Merci Betoukoumessou 2 rebounds.