(Sugar Grove, IL.) – In a back-and-forth battle that saw eight ties and 11 lead changes, Waubonsee Community College men's basketball team pulled out a 94-84 victory over Prairie State College on Thursday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. In the process the Chiefs (27-3, 12-2) clinched at least a share of the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) title for the second straight year and registered a program record 27th regular season win in the season finale. Waubonsee rallied in the second half and pulled away in the final minutes to down the Pioneers (11-18, 6-7). The Chiefs will likely be a top-seed in the upcoming Region 4 Division II Tournament, with the seeding meeting being held this coming Sunday, February 23. Waubonsee will host a yet-to-be determined opponent in a first-round game on Thursday, February 27, with a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.
Prairie State's Antonio Phillips started the scoring when he made a shot high off the glass in the opening minute of play. Tim Taiwo answered at the other end for the Chiefs before the teams traded three-point baskets two minutes into the game. Pat Robinson then scored on a finger-roll shot at the rim before Zachariah Hayslett splashed a trey from the right corner to put Waubonsee in front 10-7. A long triple by Taiwo staked the Chiefs to a 15-10 lead before the Pioneers rallied to take an 18-16 lead. A pair of free throws by Malik Petty knotted the score at 18 midway through the half.
A quick 5-0 run by Prairie State prompted a timeout by Chiefs' head coach Lance Robinson, who put his entire starting five back into the game. The Pioneers maintained their momentum and extended the lead to 30-21 with seven minutes left until the break. Three-pointers by Christian Meeks and Hayslett kept Waubonsee within striking distance. Prairie State led by as many as 10 points before an offensive rebound and put back basket by Aboubacar Sidibe helped cut into that margin. A fast break, one-handed power slam by Robinson a moment later electrified the crowd and highlighted an 8-0 Chiefs' run to pull them within two at 34-32 with three minutes remaining. However, Phillips made a steal and threw down a two-handed breakaway jam in the final minute as Prairie State took a 38-33 lead into the locker room.
The second half started with a pair of fouls on Prairie State before Meeks buried a trey to get the Chiefs within two points again at 39-37. The Pioneers continued to hold off Waubonsee over the first three minutes before triples by Hayslett and Sidibe cut the deficit to 44-43. The Chiefs finally caught and passed Prairie State when Robinson scored in transition on another finger roll to the rim a moment later. Taiwo then drilled a three from the top of the key to suddenly give Waubonsee a 48-44 lead. The game remained nip-and-tuck with the lead changing hands three more times. Sidibe then converted two free throws and Meeks rose up for a thunderous two-handed jam to suddenly give the Chiefs a 57-49 lead seven minutes into the second half. The Pioneers answered with an 8-0 run to tie the game before Waubonsee went in front 62-59 on a triple by Tylon Toliver. The Chiefs held a slim two-point 63-61 lead at the midway point of second half.
A clutch long-range basket by James Parker staked Waubonsee to a 68-64 lead with eight and half minutes to go. A strong move and score in traffic by Robinson highlighted a sequence where the Chiefs were able to grab a 74-67 lead with seven minutes left. Moments later Petty connected on a big three to push the lead to 10 points. A pair of baskets by Meeks over the next minute of action extended the lead to 81-68 with five minutes remaining. Waubonsee then broke the Pioneers full court press for a second time in three possessions as they maintained a double-digit lead. Prairie State got within six points before Meeks corralled a loose ball and hammered down another two-handed jam. Down to two minutes on the clock the Chiefs played keep away and Meeks capped off the pivotal possession with a lay-in for an 89-79 lead. Waubonsee then made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Meeks paced Waubonsee with 20 points to go along with three assists and five rebounds. Hayslett nailed five shots from long range to book 17 points and hand out three assists. Taiwo chipped in with 13 points, while Sidibe contributed an all-around effort with 12 points, 10 boards and seven assists. Petty, Toliver, Parker and Robinson each tallied eight points apiece. Waubonsee compiled 25 assists as a team, made 14 three-point baskets and went 22 of 29 (75.9 percent) from the foul line.