(Sugar Grove, IL.) - Waubonsee Community College's men's basketball team extended its' winning streak to 11 games with a comeback 80-68 win over Black Hawk College in Erickson Hall Gymnasium on Tuesday evening. The Chiefs (11-1), in their final home game of 2024, overcame a cold shooting spell in the first half to down the Braves (5-8). Waubonsee finished the game 28 of 33 (85 percent) from the foul line to pull out the victory.
Waubonsee won the opening tip and Tim Taiwo scored on a running one-hander seconds later to get things going. Lovre Stanovic, one of two Black Hawk players from Croatia, buried a three-pointer a couple minutes later to put the visitors in front 5-4. The Braves took advantage of the Chiefs' cold shooting from three-point range to grab a 14-7 lead after five minutes of action. Waubonsee made just 1 of 9 from long range as Black Hawk held a 20-12 lead midway through the first half.
Waubonsee, which entered the game with 110 three-point baskets to rank in the top 30 nationally in that category, continued to struggle from long range as the half progressed. However, the Chiefs were able to stay within striking distance by getting to the rim and the foul line, sinking 12 of 14 free throws in the first half. Waubonsee got within four points before Black Hawk built the lead up to double digits at 35-25 with three minutes until halftime. Sparked by Malik Petty and James Parker, the Chiefs hung around as the first half wound down. A pair of free throws in the final seconds of the half by the Braves' Ivan Vukusic, a native of Split, Croatia, staked Black Hawk to a 40-33 halftime lead. Waubonsee finished the half connecting on only 1 of 13 (7 percent) from three-point range.
Taiwo converted a three-point play to start the second half to spark the Chiefs' offense. On Waubonsee's next possession Pat Robinson drained a long three-pointer to suddenly cut Black Hawk's lead to a point at 40-39. The Braves responded with a 5-0 run before the Chiefs came right back with a 6-0 run to knot the score at 45-all four and half minutes into the half. After a Black Hawk timeout, Taiwo emphatically put Waubonsee in front with a tomahawk one-handed slam off a fast break. The lead changed hands several times over the next few minutes of play with Black Hawk holding a 54-51 lead midway through the half. The Chiefs regained the lead a minute later when Robinson drilled a three from the top of the key and Zachariah Hayslett followed with another long trey a moment later.
After that sequence it was the Braves' turn to play catch-up as the game headed down the stretch. A pair of free throws by Hayslett pushed the Chiefs' lead to 65-59 with six minutes remaining. Two minutes later the lead was still six points as Waubonsee began to be more deliberate on offense. A triple from the left corner by Hayslett and a trey by Robinson suddenly extended the lead to double digits at 73-61 with three minutes to go. A drive through traffic for a lay-in by Aboubacar Sidibe with a minute to go sealed the deal for the Chiefs.
Robinson finished with 19 points, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc. Hayslett tallied 18 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out four assists. Taiwo booked a double-double with 16 points and snagged a dozen rebounds to go along with dishing out four assists. Petty chipped in with eight points, five boards and four assists, while Parker added eight points and corralled five rebounds. Waubonsee is on the road for their final two games of 2024 before the holiday break. The Chiefs head to Harper College in Palatine this coming Thursday, December 19 to play the Hawks (2-11) beginning at 7:30 p.m. Lance Robinson's crew closes out the first half of their season on Saturday, December 21 whey they travel to 13th ranked South Suburban College (9-3). The Chiefs and Bulldogs are set to tipoff at 3:00 p.m. in South Holland.