By Jim Richards
Behind Tyrone Kelley’s clutch free-throw shooting, Roy Prieto’s hot hand from the outside and an explosive offense overall, the SMCC men’s basketball team captured the Scottsdale Community College/Day’s Inn Classic for the second consecutive year.
The No.11-ranked Cougars defeated perennial powers Eastern Utah, Monroe (NY) College and Snow (Utah) College in an exciting finale to capture the tournament, their last tournament until what will likely be a trip to the NJCAA Region I Division II tournament and, hopefully, a trip to the NJCAA Men’s Division II Basketball Championship Tournament in Danville, Ill.
“Anytime you’re beating those teams it’s good because they are good programs and (their players) are taught well,” SMCC coach Dan Nichols said.
The Cougars (10-4 overall, 4-2 ACCAC) opened the tournament with what looked to be a decisive victory over Monroe throughout most of the game, but a 21-point South lead evaporated into a 3-point lead with under a minute to play. Kelley rode to the rescue with four pressure free throws in the waning seconds to preserve an 81-75 victory.
Prieto hit 5 of 6 shots from beyond the 3-point arc in the second-game win over Eastern Utah, another narrow 65-61 victory.
Prieto continued to sizzle in a thrilling 76-68 title-match victory over Snow. He connected on 5 of 6 shots from the floor, including both 3-point attempts and 7 of 8 free throws for a team-high 19 points. Kelley continued his impressive play with 18 points and Michael Johnson added 10 points.
The Cougars withstood a brilliant shooting performance by Snow guard Ryan Brimley, who electrified the Snow fans in the crowd with a game-high 22 points, including 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc that pulled Snow closer from what had been a 16-point deficit.
“I think playing in a tournament like this one is good,” Nichols said. “It gives us an idea of how to win.”
The Cougars entered the tournament with consecutive narrow losses to ACCAC Div.I powers Arizona Western and Cochise just prior to the holiday break.
Nichols felt the Cougars could have won both conference outings with better outside shooting, at least the kind they displayed in the SCC tournament. Nichols also pointed to strong inside play among big forwards Tre Golston, B.J. Dotson and Dave Cuen as a big part of the team’s success throughout most of the season, but the inside game appeared to struggle somewhat in the SCC tournament.
“We’ve got to get some of our big men going,” said Nichols, who noted the improved outside play in the tournament. “Tyrone is really beginning to be consistent and Prieto really showed that he can hit from outside.”
Nichols gauged the tournament competition as above the norm in the ACCAC and slightly below that of top teams Western, Eastern and Cochise. The Cougars will get another shot at an ACCAC power when unbeaten Eastern Arizona comes to SMCC a week from Saturday (Jan.12).
Nichols feels the real tournament atmosphere could help the Cougars in the bigger tournaments to come, but he’s not looking ahead.
“We have to get there, first,” Nichols said. “Right now, it’s all idle chatter.”