SMCC Men's Basketball Falls to Chandler-Gilbert CC, Central Arizona

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College men's basketball team lost 78-73 in overtime to Chandler-Gilbert CC on November 30 and 77-76 to Central Arizona on December 3 in a pair of Arizona Community College Athletic Conference contests. The Cougars rallied to force the extra frame against the Coyotes, and sophomore Darien Allen had 19 points, but CGCC pulled out the narrow victory. Three days later, the Cougars and Vaqueros went down to the wire and SMCC's final shot at the buzzer rimmed out in another tough defeat. 

Chandler-Gilbert CC Recap

SMCC nearly pulled out the victory in the waning moments of the contest. Freshman Nahshon Harper drove the length of the court to tie the game at 69-69 with 3.6 seconds left in the game. The Cougars stole the subsequent inbound pass at midcourt, and Steven Cervantes' heave at the buzzer banked off the backboard and the front of the rim. 

The Cougars shot 44.8 percent (30-of-67) and made all 10 free throws. They added 27 rebounds, 11 assists, six steals and eight blocks in defeat. 

Allen was 8-of-18 from the field and chipped in four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Freshman Jaylen Wesley scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. He added two assists, three steals and three blocks. 

Sophomore Abdi Odowaay came off the bench to record 12 points with two 3-pointers and two rebounds. 

Cervantes posted nine points, three rebounds and an assist, and freshman Jimmy Causey Jr. also had nine points to go with two rebounds and three assists. Harper and freshman Aaron Johnson each had six points off the bench for SMCC. 

Central Arizona Recap

The Cougars nearly pulled off the comeback victory, but Harper's lay-up at the buzzer rolled in and out of the rim at the buzzer to give the Vaqueros the win. 

SMCC shot 50.9 percent (29-of-57) from the field but missed 10 of its 22 free-throw attempts. The Cougars had 27 rebounds, 18 assists and eight steals in defeat. 

Wesley and Allen led SMCC with 15 points apiece. Wesley was 6-of-12 from the field with six rebounds, three steals and an assist, while Allen was 7-of-13 with a team-high eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. 

Odowaay came off the bench to finish with 11 points and a season-high seven assists, and Cervantes added 10 points and a rebound. Causey Jr. had eight points, three rebounds, and Johnson had seven points.