Mavericks upend T-Birds

GOODLAND — Outscored 12-4 over the final 1:54 of the game, the Cloud County Community College Thunderbirds suffered an 80-75 Jayhawk Conference loss to the Northwest Kansas Technical College Mavericks in the regular season finale, in the Max L. Jones Fieldhouse on March 6.
Cloud County took a 71-68 lead on Northwest Kansas Tech when Ja'Ron Briggs Jr. made a layup with 2:14 to play in the game.
Keither Florence made one of two free throws and Keyishon Miller scored on a layup to pull the Mavericks even with the T-Birds at 71-71.
Cloud County turned the ball over and Charles Fofanah knocked down a three-point shot to put Northwest Kansas Tech on top to stay, 74-71, with 47 seconds on the clock.
Isaiah Sy was unable to connect on a three-point attempt that would have tied the game.
The T-Birds fouled Taiden Conner with 23 seconds left.
Conner made both free throws, and it was a 76-71 game.
A dunk by Briggs Jr. got Cloud County back within three points, 76-73, with 19 seconds on the clock.
Conner was fouled again five seconds later. He connected on both free throws, to put the Mavericks up 78-73.
Two free throws by Sy closed the gap to 78-75, with nine seconds to play.
Miller made two free throws, with two seconds remaining, to make the final margin five points.
"We were in control for 37 minutes and we need one more basket or one more stop and we don't get that," Cloud County coach Devin Kastrup said. "I thought we kind of froze up at the end. We got a little tight, for some reason."
The T-Birds and the Mavericks went back and forth throughout much of the game.
There were seven lead changes in the first eight minutes of the game.
Cloud County led by as many as seven points in the opening half.
Trailing 28-21, the Mavericks used an 8-0 spurt to go on top, 29-28.
The T-Birds scored the next seven points, and led 35-29.
Cloud County was up 37-32 at halftime.
Northwest Kansas Tech chipped away at the deficit and reclaimed the lead at 62-60, with just over 7:00 to play.
Scoring seven consecutive points, the T-Birds led again, 67-62.
The Mavericks got within a point at 69-68.
Briggs Jr. made the layup to give Cloud County a 71-68 advantage, with 2:14 on the clock.
Northwest Kansas Tech rallied to get the win.
"I think it is the hard place in the conference to play. They are playing extremely well right now," Kastrup said.
Cheikh Sow led Cloud County with 19 points.
Briggs Jr. finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Sy added 13 points.
The T-Birds shot 53 percent (31 of 59) from the field.
Fofanah scored 29 points for Northwest Tech.
Miller tossed in 22 points and Florence scored 11.