COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Jaguars hold off comeback bid from Loggers

Feb. 4—DANVILLE — Three months into the season and the Danville Area Community College are still learning what it takes to be a complete basketball team.

On Saturday afternoon, the Jaguars seemingly found themselves in what looked like an easy stroll to a victory over the Lincoln Land Loggers.

There was only one little problem — someone forgot to tell Lincoln Land.

The Jaguars made four consecutive free throws in the final 11 seconds to secure a 73-70 victory in a Mid-West Athletic Conference contest at the Mary Miller Gymnasium.

"That's what this league is about," DACC coach Dajuan Gouard said. "We were both tied for third place, and as I told our guys at halftime, Lincoln Land wasn't going to lay down. They have played some tough games this season."

So even when Danville Area (12-7 overall, 4-2 in the M-WAC) took a 16-point lead (58-42) with 13 minutes remaining there was still plenty of time.

Lincoln Land (9-10 overall, 3-4 in the M-WAC) went on a 10-2 run late in the second half to pull within a point at 69-68, but Payton Weemer and Darius Davis converted a pair of free throws to secure the victory.

"I actually like these kind of games," Gouard said. "I like winning this way more than winning by 20 or 30 points, because you don't learn any lessons when you win by 20 or 30.

"We were in a similar situation with John Wood last week and they ran away with the victory because we couldn't be tough. We couldn't figure out how to hold onto the lead at that critical point in the second half. So, I'm happy that we held on to a get a win."

And there is still plenty of lessons to be taught after this one.

The biggest one is for sophomore Donovan Parker, who inexplicitly fouled Lincoln Land's Camren Kincaid on a 3-pointer attempt in the final second.

"Donovan played well and rebounded the ball well," Gouard said. "He was really, really tough for us, except for that one moment in the final seconds.

"That is the nature of this job. He didn't know what the score was, even though I was talking to the whole team, when I said 'don't foul.'"

The Jaguars used a very balanced attack on Saturday with seven players scoring six or more points in the contest and they had three in double figures with Parker leading the winning effort with 12, followed by Weemer and Davis with 11 and 10 points respectively off the bench.

"If we can finish games, we can be real dangerous," said Gouard, noting that DACC will play four of its final six conference games at home. "We are a team that is a few small things away from being really, really good. We have beaten some good teams and we've lost some bad teams."

Next up for DACC is a non-conference contest on Tuesday on the road against South Suburban.

Danville Area Community College 73, Lincoln Land Community College 70

Lincoln Land (70) — Jermontre Young 0-4 2-2 2, Kyle Leonard 4-10 3-4 12, Dane Foster 3-9 0-0 6, Camren Kincaid 7-17 3-7 17, Nick Cook 6-9 4-7 16, Jermale Young 2-6 0-1 6, Stephan Douglas 0-1 0-0 0, Axel Laby 2-5 2-2 6, Brendenn Robinson 1-4 1-2 3. Totals: 25-65 15-27 70.

Danville Area (73) — Jaylen Simmons 1-7 4-5 6, Jaydin Dunlap 2-3 0-2 4, Lorenzo McMillion 2-2 2-4 6, Donovan Parker 4-6 3-4 12, Ryan Caddell 2-3 0-0 5, Jameer Ajibade 0-0 1-2 1, Martez Rhodes 3-7 0-0 7, Darius Davis 3-5 4-6 10, Payton Weemer 4-10 3-6 11, Trevin Williams 1-3 0-0 2, Terrence Ringo 3-4 3-3 9. Totals: 25-50 20-32 73.

Lincoln Land 30 40 — 70

Danville Area 43 30 — 73

3-pointers — Lincoln Land 5-19 (Foster 2-5, Jermale Young 2-6, Leonard 1-6, Kincaid 0-1, Laby 0-1). Danville Area 3-13 (Parker 1-3, Caddell 1-2, Rhodes 1-3, Simmons 0-3, Dunlap 0-1, Weemer 0-1). Rebounds — Lincoln Land 34 (Jermontre Young 6, Douglas 6, Leonard 5, Kincaid 5, Cook 5, Foster 3, Robinson 2, Laby 1, TEAM 1). Danville Area 44 (Rhodes 8, Parker 7, Davis 5, Weemer 5, Dunlap 4, McMillion 4, Simmons 3, Caddell 2, Williams 2, Ringo 2, TEAM 2). Assists — Lincoln Land 9 (Kincaid 3, Jermontre Young 2, Laby 2, Jermale Young 1, Douglas 1). Danville Area 15 (Davis 5, Simmons 4, Weemer 2, Dunlap 1, Caddell 1, Ajibade 1, Ringo 1). Turnovers — Lincoln Land 8 (Kincaid 4, Jermontre Young 1, Douglas 1, Laby 1, TEAM 1). Danville Area 14 (Davis 5, McMillion 2, Simmons 1, Dunlap 1, Parker 1, Caddell 1, Rhodes 1, Williams 1, TEAM 1). Steals — Lincoln Land 8 (Laby 3, Foster 2, Kincaid 1, Cook 1, Jermale Young 1). Danville Area 4 (Rhodes 2, Parker 1, Caddell 1). Blocks — Lincoln Land 2 (Leonard 1, Douglas 1). Danville Area 2 (Ringo 2). Total fouls — Lincoln Land 23, Danville Area 22. Fouled out — Jermontre Young, Ringo.

Records — Lincoln Land 9-10 overall, 4-3 in the Mid-West Athletic Conference. Danville Area 12-7 overall, 4-2 in the Mid-West Athletic Conference.

Lincoln Land 90 Danville Area 53

Options are few and far between for DACC women's coach Kyle Bent.

Already down two starters before Saturday's game with 18th-rated Lincoln Land tipped off, the Lady Jaguars lost the services of Wariya Alhassan in the second quarter to an apparent head injury.

The Loggers took full advantage, employing different pressure defenses and looking for an up-tempo game, as they cruised to a 90-53 triumph over the Lady Jaguars.

"When you have three starters not available, it is already a difficult task, but then it's especially difficult when you are playing a quality team like Lincoln Land," DACC coach Kyle Bent said. "We anticipated a press and some half-court pressure, but once Wariya went out, we tried to adjust out approach on the fly but it was just too difficult.

"Our girls did the best they could to beat the pressure, but it just wore us down."

While Alhassan's injury was a big factor during the game, Bent was already dealing with the loss of Brianna Hamilton (knee) and Rylee Dowers (back). Hamilton will miss the rest of the season, but Bent is hopeful to get Alhassan and Dowers back this season.

"The injuries have not only affected our game plans, but they are also an issue with our practices," he said. "It's difficult to accumulate 5-on-5 reps in practice with a lack of bodies."

One bright spot on Saturday was the shooting performance of Keiara Gregory, who was 7-of-19 from 3-point range as she finished with a game-high 31 points.

"When she gets hot, she can fill it up with the best of them," Bent said. "It was her best performance this season behind the arc. I think this will propel her confidence for the remainder of the year."

Lincoln Land Community College 90, Danville Area Community College 53

Lincoln Land (90) — Sam Lindhorst 2-3 0-0 4, Megan Harrell 6-16 4-7 16, Whitney Rumbold 8-14 1-2 17, Marley Smith 10-18 5-7 26, Avrie Schmidt 4-10 4-5 12, Trinity Tingley 1-2 0-0 3, Rilee Riggs 0-0 0-0 0, Olivia Marchizza 0-0 0-0 0, Nolee Sollars 4-5 0-0 12. Totals: 35-68 14-21 90.

Danville Area (53) — Wariya Alhassan 1-5 2-2 4, Keiara Gregory 10-26 4-4 31, Jillisa Briggs 2-6 2-2 6, Jayla Greer 4-17 0-0 8, Stephanie Stephen 1-3 2-2 4, Julissa Danglade 0-5 0-0 0, Brianna Hernandez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-62 10-10 53.

Lincoln Land 16 25 26 23 — 90

Danville Area 11 16 12 14 — 53

3-pointers — Lincoln Land 6-16 (Sollars 4-5, Smith 1-1, Tringley 1-2, Lindhorst 0-1, Rumbold 0-3, Schmidt 0-4). Danville Area 7-26 (Gregory 7-19, Alhassan 0-1, Greer 0-3, Danglade 0-3). Rebounds — Lincoln Land 41 (Harrell 10, Rumbold 10, Smith 8, Schmidt 5, Lindhorst 4, TEAM 4) Danville Area 40 (Briggs 13, Stephen 6, Greer 5, Alhassan 4, Gregory 2, Danglade 2, Hernandez 1, TEAM 7). Assists — Lincoln Land 19 (Lindhorst 9, Harrell 4, Smith 3, Sollars 2, Tingley 1). Danville Area 6 (Greer 2, Alhassan 1, Gregory 1, Stephen 1, Hernandez 1). Turnovers — Lincoln Land 12 (Lindhorst 6, Harrell 2, Rumbold 1, Schmidt 1, Sollars 1, TEAM 1). Danville Area 23 (Gregory 10, Danglade 5, Greer 4, Briggs 2, Hernandez 1, TEAM 1). Steals — Lincoln Land 10 (Lindhorst 3, Smith 3, Schmidt 3, Harrell 1). Danville Area 8 (Gregory 2, Greer 2, Alhassan 1, Briggs 1, Stephen 1, Hernandez 1). Blocks — Lincoln Land 3 (Lindhorst 1, Rumbold 1, Schmidt 1). Danville Area 3 (Briggs 2, Danglade 1). Total fouls — Lincoln Land 10, Danville Area 15. Fouled out — none.

Records — Lincoln Land 19-3 overall, 6-1 in the Mid-West Athletic Conference. Danville Area 14-8 overall, 3-4 in the Mid-West Athletic Conference.