Second half run ends in victory

Rav Randhawa finished with 24 points and was 9-10 from the free throw line in ECC?s win over Iowa Central. Photo by Marissa VanWingen.
Rav Randhawa finished with 24 points and was 9-10 from the free throw line in ECC’s win over Iowa Central. Photo by Marissa VanWingen.
Posted: Dec 09, 2024

By Marissa VanWingen, The Times Citizen

It wasn't until the second half of Saturday's contest at Fort Dodge that 11th-ranked Ellsworth Community College was able to get separation from Iowa Central Community College (8-4, 2-1), who is receiving votes in the NJCAA polls. The Panthers (10-2, 1-1) escaped with the 84-74 victory.

The largest difference in the first 10 minutes was a 13-7 Triton lead. The first tie of the contest was 13-13 on a Themba Tshuma make but the hosts went on top three more times. Enki Diarra-Gentes drained a triple with 8:28 left in the half as the Panthers took their first lead of the game. The two would trade advantages four more times. And a Tshuma put back knotted the game at 28-28. ECC then went on a 7-0 run, including a long ball by Tanner Berggren, to lead 35-28. The visitors went into the locker room with a slight 40-38 advantage.

Leading by just one in the second half, Wilkinson hit a long ball to jumpstart the Panther offense as they never trailed again. The lead swelled to eight (72-64) on a Rav Randhawa triple. Iowa Central drained a basket and a freebie to cut the deficit to four (77-73) with just over three minutes left in the contest. That would be the closest they would come as ECC went on a 7-1 the final three minutes to leave with the 10-point decision.

There were 57 fouls called in the contest and the Panthers scored 30 of their points from the charity stripe, going 30 of 39. Randhawa was nine of 10 and finished with 24 points while Wilkinson was eight of 10 and had 13 points. Tre Burris had a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

For more on ECC Athletics, click here: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.timescitizen.com%2fsports%2fecc%2f&c=E,1,5JRlDbUuN7CLVWeeEYd9Ab1IjLukvnqXKNygk7bU73uPI6bf0N_yncdEtQpQe_bIlgqfHL5o6eHz13jjCf2dXXcJMUUOrICDcxNnV_XBANFsHHuA&typo=1

ICCAC Basketball
Saturday at Fort Dodge

ECC: 40| 44 – 84
ICCC: 38| 36 – 74

ECC Scoring: Rav Randhawa 6 9-10 24; Tre Burris 7 4-6 18; Jonovan Wilkinson 2 8-10 13; Themba Tshuma 4 1-1 9; Rollings Kamanda 2 2-6 6; Enki Diarra-Gentes 1 2-2 5; Taevean Famutimi-Brown 1 2-2 4; Tanner Berggren 1 0-0 3; Bene Martinkus 0 2-2 2.