BLINN MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES A NAIL BITER TO KILGORE 63-62

Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information

A foul and two free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining spoiled the Blinn College men’s basketball team’s upset bid Saturday in Kilgore, Texas.

Twelfth-ranked Kilgore College knocked down a pair of charity buckets to take the lead and the Buccaneers’ half-court heave at the buzzer was off target as the region-leading Rangers escaped 63-62.

“We had an opportunity to beat the No. 12 team in the country on the road and we didn’t capitalize on it,” Blinn head coach Scott Schumacher said. “We’ll learn from it and move on.”

Schumacher said he is optimistic Saturday’s setback will prove to be a small bump in the road for Blinn (17-8, 11-6 Region 14), which has been red hot since Jan. 7. Saturday’s outcome was only the second loss for the Bucs in their last 12 games.

The two teams played a tight ballgame down to the wire, with breathing room virtually nonexistent for either side.

The Bucs grabbed a five-point lead in the final minute of play, but Kilgore battled back. Blinn was ahead 62-61 with nine seconds to go when the Rangers drew a foul on their final offensive possession of the game and cashed in at the free throw line.

Sophomore guard Dashawn Ceaser paced the Bucs with 23 points, with five makes from the 3-point line. Freshman guards Desmeon Jones and Connor Sprattley followed with 11 points apiece. Freshman forward Rollings Kamanda had eight points and 10 rebounds.  

Up next, Blinn looks to bounce back when it hosts region foe Lamar State College-Port Arthur at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas. KWHI will have live coverage beginning with the pregame at 7:15pm on 1280AM, 101.7FM, and KWHI.com.