(Sugar Grove, IL.) –  Waubonsee Community College's men's basketball team opened its' 2024-2025 season with a disappointing 80-64 loss to visiting Madison College on Thursday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (0-1) struggled on the offensive end of the floor in the first half and the Wolfpack (2-1) put together an offensive outburst in the second half to secure the road win. None of Madison's games thus far this season have been close as they posted a 27-point win over McHenry County College and had a 34-point loss to Kirkwood (IA.) Community College.

Tim Taiwo scored on a 10-foot turnaround jumper on the Chiefs' first possession to start the scoring. The game was tied at 6-all four minutes into the contest as both teams worked to get their feet under them. The Wolfpack then went on a 7-0 run before Zachariah Hayslett buried a three-pointer for Waubonsee. Madison still led 17-11 at the midway point of the first half after Dimetris Gayden scored on a drive to the basket. The visitors then went on a 10-0 run as the Chiefs could not get on track offensively. After 15 minutes of action Waubonsee had scored just 11 points and trailed by 18 to the Wolfpack. A triple from the left corner by Hayslett stopped the bleeding momentarily as the Chiefs fought to get the deficit down to single digits by the intermission. A long basket from beyond the arc by Hayslett a minute later cut Madison's lead to 10 points with two and half minutes to go until halftime. Another triple from the top of the key by Malik Petty then got the Chiefs to within 31-22. The half ended with the visitors holding a 34-22 advantage as the Wolfpack shot 43 percent from the floor while the Chiefs shot just 29 percent.

Waubonsee looked to chip away at the Wolfpack's lead as the second half commenced. A close in basket by Pat Robinson three minutes into the second half finally cut the deficit to single digits at 36-28. A minute later Jermaine Theodore splashed a three-pointer from the left corner to suddenly make it a five-point game as Madison head coach Jason Roscoe called timeout to try and stop the Chiefs' momentum. The strategy worked as the Wolfpack responded with a quick 8-0 run highlighted by a two-handed slam by Ryen Jones. Madison then broke the game open by building its' lead up to 22 points with a 19-2 run eight minutes into the second half. Three minutes later the gap was still 22 points as the Wolfpack's sibling duo of Cullen Rauls and Ceegan Rauls netted several baskets to keep Waubonsee at bay. The Chiefs continued to battle and got the Wolfpack's lead down to 14 points with four minutes to go in the game. But it was too little and too late as Madison extended its' lead back up to 20 points.

Taiwo paced the Chiefs with 17 points and seven rebounds. Hayslett finished with 12 points, eight boards and four assists. Petty tallied 11 points, Theodore grabbed six rebounds and blocked four shots, and Aboubacar Sidibe handed out four assists in the loss. The Chiefs shot a dismal 7 for 37 (18.9 percent) from three-point range and were out rebounded 52-41 overall. Madison's JP Pleasant led all scorers with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Cullen Rauls added 19 points. The Chiefs are in action again this coming Saturday, November 9 when they host Lansing (MI) Community College beginning at 3:00 p.m. (CDT). The women's contest between the Chiefs and the Stars is set to follow beginning at 1:00 p.m. (CDT).