Your future, our focus
Fans of Northwest College men’s basketball hadn’t stopped cheering what they thought was the winning basket when their appreciation strangled in their throats.
The last-gasp jump shot from the right side of the 3-point arc floated out of Kameron Rauch’s right hand and dropped through the net at the same instant the clock hit 0.
Suddenly, it was the agony of defeat, the Trappers being KO-ed by Miles Community College 77-75 in the first-round Region IX game in Powell last Saturday afternoon.
Instead of advancing to defend their 2015 title, the Trappers were done for the season, falling to a mini-miracle shot that produced stunned silence in the gym.
“We should have had it,” Northwest guard Clint Bateman said.
The Trappers thought they did have it when guard Jordan Rood gave Northwest a 75-74 lead
“I thought it was the winning basket,” Rood said of his shot inside the lane.
The final moments of the game were a scramble. After Rood scored with 8-point-something on the clock, Northwest coach Brian Erickson screamed for a timeout to set his defense.
However, none of the three officials heard him or saw him signaling, and play continued. The Trappers retreated down the floor.
“It was kind of scattered getting back,” Bateman said of the defense.
Miles passed the ball in, sped downcourt and fed the ball to Rauch with about 2.5 seconds left. He launched the shot and it clearly beat the buzzer.
“I didn’t think it was going in,” Rood said.
Rauch’s shot ended Northwest’s season with a 17-14 record, including one forfeit win. This was a year after the Trappers’ 31-5 record culminated in the quarterfinals of the National Junior College championships.
Only Dan Milota had been even a semi-regular in 2014-15. Otherwise it was a complete rebuilding job for the Trappers.
Milota and a few others incurred serious injuries, and double-figure scorer Joel Maumba was suspended for this playoff game.
Yet the Trappers were fully healthy heading into the MCC game. Northwest and Miles split two regular-season games.
The Pioneers built a 37-26 lead, but NWC flipped the momentum with a 19-0 run that provided a 45-37 lead in the first half.
“That was crazy,” Northwest guard Levi Peterson said.
From then on, the game stayed tight. NWC led 73-70 with less than 30 seconds left when Pioneers’ guard Cole Ashby (21 points) was fouled. Ashby made the first free throw and missed the second, but slithered between Trapper rebounders to make a follow shot and get fouled again. He completed the three-point play and Northwest trailed 75-74.
“We make it a huge emphasis to block out on free throws,” Erickson said of the mistake.
Forward Sukhjot Bains had 16 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists. Center Levi Londole muscled his way to 14 points and 9 rebounds, and Rood and guard Grantham Gillard each scored 13 points.
At times the big men, Londole and Milota (6 points) seemed capable of dominating with their strength but the Trappers instead threw up 31 3-point attempts.
“That’s way too much,” Erickson said. “The ball has got to get down low to them (Londole and Milota) more.”
For Rood and Peterson, it was their final Northwest game.
“It’s weird that it’s done,” Rood said.