Late run pushes Pirates past T-Birds

A 13-0 run late in the game spoiled what had been a gutsy effort by the Cloud County Community College men’s basketball team.
Cloud County trailed Independence Community College by just one point, 69-68, when Malang Athian knocked down a three-point shot with 4:51 remaining in the game.
The Pirates then outscored the Thunderbirds 13-0 in a span of 2:53 to pull away to an 82-72 Jayhawk Conference East Division victory Wednesday night in Bryant Gymnasium.
Cloud County, again playing without starters David Acosta and Zavien Smith, suffered a fifth consecutive loss, falling to 4-8 overall and 2-8 in conference play.
Playing with a short bench once again, the Thunderbirds trailed Independence just 35-33 at halftime.
Independence, 9-4 overall and 7-4 in the Jayhawk East, opened up a 46-40 lead in the second half.
Freshman Ibrahim Drame scored four points during an 8-0 Cloud County run that made it a 48-46 game.
Drame, getting the start with Acosta out, scored a season high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He was 10 of 14 from the field and three of three from the free throw line.
“His skill set is really high. He has just been playing ball in America for just two months. So it is a pretty impressive learning curve with him. He has been able to take these minutes and take a lot out of it,” Cloud County coach Jordan Altman said of Drame.
Independence would answer the Cloud County run with a 14-2 spurt to grab its biggest lead to that point, 60-50.
Savian Edwards completed a three-point play and Dyelan Reed connected on a three-point shot as the T-Birds outscored the Pirates 8-2 over the next two minutes to get back within four points, 62-58.
The two teams traded baskets and Tim Dalger drilled a three to give the Pirates a 67-60 cushion.
A layup by Athian and a three by Edwards trimmed the deficit to 67-63.
Madison Monroe made two free throws for Independence, but Edwards hit another three to close the gap to 69-68.
“The real gutsy effort was for us to come back and make it a game. If we would have had a chance to stay with them right there, or go ahead a little bit at the 12 or 13 minute mark, that could have been very different. Instead, they got the 10-point lead around then and we had to play catch up, so we just kind of ran out of gas the last three minutes,” Altman said.
Monroe scored inside for the Pirates, and Cloud County was called for a technical foul.
Monroe made the two free throws.
Kevarious Taylor scored on a drive just 40 seconds later and Independence led 75-68.
Dalger then scored seven points in 1:27 to extend the Pirates' lead to 82-68.
Cloud County would go nearly four minutes without scoring before Edwards made two free throws with just 53 seconds remaining in the game.
Trailing by 12 points, the T-Birds ran out of time to mount another comeback.
Edwards scored 15 points, pulled down seven rebounds and handed out five assists for the T-Birds.
Reed added 13 points and seven rebounds.
Dalger pumped in 25 points for Independence.
Monroe scored 17. Jonathan Magbo finished with 12 points and Mikale Stevenson chipped in 11.
Cloud County jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead in the game.
A 17-4 spurt put Independence on top 19-12.
The T-Birds battled back to take a 33-32 lead on a basket by Drame with just eight seconds remaining in the first half.
Magbo made a layup and Stevenson connected on two free throws to give the Pirates a 35-33 halftime lead.
Cloud County will travel to Chanute to take on Neosho Community College Saturday afternoon.