Harper falls short against Joliet
Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.
Just ask the Harper College men’s basketball team, which fell 90-89 to third-ranked defending NJCAA Division III national champion Joliet Junior College on Thursday night at the Harper College Sports and Wellness Center.
“I thought we had a good opportunity to beat a good team on our home court,” said Harper’s Wes Wilcox (Lake Park).
Joliet (22-1 overall, 7-0 N4C) went to the foul line 30 times and made all but 7 of its attempts. The Wolves made 5 straight in the final four minutes.
Sophomore Justin Reed was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer from the top of the key with less than four minutes left and made all three foul shot.
On the next Wolves possession, Bradley Elam gave his team an 84-82 lead when he made 2 free throws.
Kemill Long (Hoffman Estates) tied the game at 84-84, and after a Cody Carter basket at the other end, Long was able to put the Hawks (16-7, 3-5) in front 87-86 with 56 seconds remaining by canning a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Another Elam bucket put Joliet ahead 88-87 before Wilcox delivered a putback and was fouled.
He missed the free throw, and that little thing ended up costing the Hawks.
“It’s too bad I couldn’t finish (the 3-point play) with the free-throw,” Wilcox said.
After Joliet got the rebound, Wolves coach Joe Kuhn called a timeout from his bench.
On the game’s final possession, with Harper’s guards playing good defense, it was difficult for the Wolves to get the ball into the low post. Cody Atherton was able to take the ball to the basket and get a shot off; sophomore Andy Supergan beat Harper’s Shonnon Barfield to the rebound and get the winning bucket.
“We were trying to get the ball to (Brandon) Redmond,” Kuhn said of the play that he had drawn up during the timeout.
“We were a little confused,” Supergan said. “I was lucky enough to be in the right position and tip it in.”
Harper left disappointed by the outcome but encouraged by its level of play.
“It was a good way for us to gauge where we are in the conference,” Wilcox said.