Red Ravens outlast T-Birds 93-89 in triple overtime

Returning to action following a layoff of more than three weeks, the Cloud County Community College Thunderbirds and the Coffeyville Community College Red Ravens needed more than 40 minutes of basketball to settle things for a second straight time in Bryant Gymnasium.
Cloud County took a Coffeyville team that went on to win the NJCAA national championship to two overtimes before falling last season.
Squaring off in the first game since prior to semester break, the two teams needed three extra periods on Wednesday night.
After the T-Birds had chances to pull out a win at the end of regulation play the first two overtimes, Coffeyville scored the final five points of the third overtime to capture the 93-89 Jayhawk Conference victory.
“It is frustrating because I think our guys prepare at a high level and they play extremely hard and that puts us in position to be in these games. We are in every single game, there is no question about that. It is just winning players make winning plays and that takes another level, another gear, that I just don’t think we have reached consistently yet,” Cloud County coach Devin Kastrup said.
Cloud County, with three consecutive losses, falls to 7-8 overall and 3-6 in the Jayhawk Conference.
It was a back-and-forth game throughout the first 40 minutes of play.
Trailing 35-31 in the second half, the T-Birds had Nate Duckworth score eight points during a 12-0 run that DaMarco Clayton capped off with a steal and a dunk, to take their biggest lead of the game, 43-35.
Duckworth finished with 22 points.
Coffeyville, 6-8 overall and 3-5 in conference play, answered with a 17-4 surge to go up 52-47.
Cloud County battled back to grab a 58-57 advantage when Savian Edwards knocked down a jumper with 3:53 on the clock.
A three-point basket by Dayshawn Wiley gave the Red Ravens the lead back at 60-58.
Justin Graham and Duckworth made two free throws each, and Cloud County led 62-60.
Graham made 14 of 15 free throws on his way to scoring a game-high 26 points. He also had 11 rebounds.
Love Bettis, who scored 25 points, gave Coffeyville the lead back at 63-62 by connecting on a three.
Edwards answered with a three for the T-Birds.
Deng Mayar tied it at 65-65 by making two free throws.
Two free throws by Duckworth put Cloud County back on top, 67-65.
Mayar made two more free throws to pull Coffeyville even at 67-67 with 1:02 on the clock.
The two teams then exchanged turnovers and Cloud County called timeout with 17 seconds to play, and a chance to take the final shot.
Duckworth got some penetration and put up a short jumper that wouldn’t fall.
Coffeyville got the rebound and called timeout with 4.8 seconds left.
“Our goal there was to put him (Duckworth) in space and let him make a play. He is our leader, he is the guy who is carrying us now and that one didn’t go in,” Kastrup said.
Coffeyville's AJ McBride turned the ball over with 1.2 seconds left.
Duckworth got off a halfcourt heave as time expired, that bounced off the rim, and the game went to overtime.
Cloud County trailed 74-73 late in the extra period when McBride got called for a technical foul for flopping.
Graham made the free throw to tie the game at 74-74 with 1:07 on the clock.
With a chance to give Cloud County the lead, Graham was unable to get a shot in the lane to fall.
The Red Ravens ran the clock down before Bettis missed a three-point attempt as the shot clock expired.
Cloud County had one last chance, but a three-point attempt by Duckworth was off the mark, sending the game to a second overtime.
A three-point play by Graham gave the T-Birds an 82-77 lead with 1:53 remaining.
Cloud County then came up with a steal and Clayton was fouled.
Clayton missed on both free throw attempts, but the T-Birds got the offensive rebound only to turn the ball over.
“That is an opportunity to put them up to seven both times with a minute to go, and we win,” Kastrup said.
McBride made one of two free throws, the Red Ravens got a steal in the backcourt and McBride was fouled again.
McBride made the first free throw. He missed the second, but Blaise Keita grabbed the offensive board and scored to close the gap to 82-81.
Following a turnover by the T-Birds and a missed three by Wiley, Malang Athian was fouled with 6.2 seconds left. He made the first of two free throws to give Cloud County an 83-81 cushion, but missed the second.
Coffeyville came away with the rebound and called timeout with 5.5 seconds left.
The Red Ravens were able to get the ball to Wiley alone at the basket and he scored to make it 83-83 as time ran out.
Falling behind 88-84 in the third overtime, the T-Birds battled back to take an 89-88 lead when Graham made two free throws with 1:34 on the clock.
Cloud County would not score again.
A three-point basket by Wiley and a free throw by McBride gave the Red Ravens a 92-89 advantage.
The T-Birds had a chance to tie the game but Graham’s three-point attempt in the final seconds wouldn't fall.
Wiley made one of two free throws with one second left to make it 93-89.
“Our guys battled all night, but just didn’t make enough winning plays. And then we still have a shot at the buzzer to tie, and we got a wide open look and didn’t make it. Our luck ran out when it was our turn to have to make the play to continue the game on,” Kastrup said.
Athian scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds for Cloud County.
Coffeyville had Mayar score 24 points. McBride tossed in 16 and Wiley added 11.
Cloud County will play at Garden City Community College on Saturday afternoon.