Mott sophomore Lorenzo Collier soars for a score in the second half against Triton. (Mike Tews photo)
FLINT, Michigan — Two of the top junior college basketball programs in the Midwest locked horns on Friday night in Flint. Just as one might expect, it went down to the wire. The game featured seven ties and nine lead changes. It finished with an impressive win for the undefeated Bears, 73-67.
Mott, fresh off an important win over Muskegon on Wednesday night, didn’t play particularly well against a much bigger Triton squad. The Bears used their speed in the open court to score in transition and to get to the foul line, but easy baskets were nowhere to be found. These are two very good teams.
The game was tied at 34 at the half.
The turning point in the game came with 90 seconds left. After a 3-pointer by Triton’s Greg Carter cut Mott’s lead to six, Mott sophomore guard Jalen Adams buried a 3-pointer of his own on the ensuing possession as the shot clock expired. The teams traded baskets, free throws and timeouts the rest of the way.
The triple by Adams was the high water mark in an otherwise forgettable game for the 6-5 shooting guard. He scored 11 points on 3-for-14 from the field. He wasn’t alone, however, as the Bears shot just 33 percent from the field as a team.
For the second straight game, freshman Diandre Wilson led all scorers with 17 points and eight rebounds. Cedric Moten and Lorenzo Collier scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. Percell Washington led Triton (3-1) with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bears (4-0) will return to action at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night on the road against rival Lansing CC. If the Bears win against the Stars, they will almost certainly be ranked in the next NJCAA poll.
At the conclusion of the game, Triton head coach Steve Christiansen told Mott coach Steve Schmidt that he’d see him in Danville. Let’s hope he’s right.
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