By Marissa VanWingen, The Times Citizen
mvanwingen@iafalls.com
Twelfth-ranked Ellsworth Community College suffered their first sweep at the hands of NIACC (15-7, 7-5) and slid from fourth place into fifth and the Trojans jumped up two spots to third with the 80-75 decision.
The entire game was back and forth without much difference between the two. The largest advantage for either team was just six points in the first half.
The opening 20 minutes had the lead change hands five times. A Tre Burris make made it 13-12, the final ECC (16-6, 6-5) advantage before the half. The Trojans responded and then built a four-point lead (17-13). The Panthers would cut the difference to one on three times, but could never get over the hump. NIACC hit one of their five triples to make it 36-33 before Taevean Famutimi-Brown responded with a long ball of his own to keep it a three-point game. It would be a 40-37 Trojan lead at the break.
ECC would make a run in the second half and once again there would be a lot of back-and-forth with eight lead changes. With just under six minutes to go in the game, Willie Patterson III made it 65-64 ECC. The visitors then stole the rock and Jonovan Wilkinson drained a triple to give the Panthers their largest lead of the game at 68-64.
The ECC defense could not slow down the hosts as they responded and took the lead back. At the 50.7 second mark, Wilkinson hit another of his three three-pointers and was fouled, making the free throw for the four-point play and the 75-74 lead. In just 15 seconds, NIACC was able to take the lead and then got the steal and Joseph Fitch got a steal and dunk to make it a three-point difference with 18.3 seconds left.
The Panthers had a good look from three to tie the game, but it did not fall.
ECC shot just 38 percent from the floor and 31 percent from beyond the arc. Wilkinson had a season-high 20 points, followed by Rollings Kamanda with 16 points and nine rebounds. Patterson was also in double figures for the visitors (11).
The Panthers, Trojans and Iowa Western all have five losses in the ICCAC. DMACC is currently in the driver's seat for the top seed (22-2, 11-1) with Kirkwood in second (20-2, 9-2).
For more on ECC Athletics, click here: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.timescitizen.com%2fsports%2fecc%2f&c=E,1,cKYRa7aB62knptTinI_6DPtKQ4EVXZmgYGPiS5t8JBrw4sjTTlktWNRmcANc7GINQH2e_2Eg09yl5luE95N6h1XY_JkXQrMB6Vd5WslCfWMlgF49&typo=1
ICCAC Basketball
Wednesday at Mason City
ECC: 37| 38 – 75
NIACC: 40| 40 – 80
ECC Scorers: Jonovan Wilkinson 5 7-7 20; Rollings Kamanda 5 6-8 16; Willie Patterson 4 1-2 11; Taevean Famutimi-Brown 4 0-0 9; Tre Burris 4 0-0 8; Enki Diarra-Gentes 2 2-2 7; Rav Randhawa 1 0-0 2; Hubert Bayigamba 1 0-0 2.