Men's basketball team nipped, 98-96

By Michael Leek
Sports Editor

The LCC men’s basketball team lost its fifth game of the season on Wednesday, Dec. 20, falling at home 98-96 to Mid Michigan College in the final seconds of the game.

At one point, LCC led by 27 points. The Stars held a 12-point lead at halftime.

Mid Michigan College made two tough shots in the final minute of the game to put it up by two points. Then, with four seconds left, LCC freshman guard Lamont Green-Torbert missed a deep three-pointer that would have won the game.

With the loss, LCC fell to 8-5 overall for the season.

LCC Head Coach Mike Ingram said the Stars should have won the game, but they did not do a lot of the things in the second half that they did in the first.

“We got in foul trouble and we don’t have enough on the bench for two starters to be out or miss extended time,” Ingram said.

Freshman forward Jamison Eklund led the Stars offensively with 28 points. He scored 20 in the first half.

Six Stars finished the game with double-digit points. Sophomore guard Jay Wallace followed Eklund, finishing with 19 points, and freshman forward Zavier Thomason had 14.

The Stars were in foul trouble during the second half, with two of the starters having four fouls and Wallace fouling out.

Ingram said his team played good defense, but began to get out of position.

“When we follow our game plan on defense we’re really good and then all of a sudden they start extending out and get out of position,” Ingram said.

In the second half the game got more physical for both teams. Ingram said Wallace’s fifth foul in the final stretch of the game was a “terrible call.”

“I thought that we didn’t get a good whistle,” Ingram said. “You know we have to play over them, but sometimes those things are hard to overcome when you’re anticipating running something and you know you’re going to get fouled and it doesn’t get called.”

The Stars are now on break for the rest of the year. They will return on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at home against Grand Rapids Community College.

The team will be making a few changes going into this game and conference play, Ingram said.

“I think we’re going to pick up a guy or two at the break who are going to help us,” Ingram said.