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Southwestern improves to 7-11 on the season after defeating Northeast Community College 82-58 on Thursday night.
The Spartans jumped out to a 10-2 lead after the first 3:37 of play, Southwestern expanded their lead to 17-8 but Northeast clawed their way back with a 10-0 run which gave the Hawks a short-lived lead.
SWCC went into the locker room up 34-27.
“We started off a little sluggish,” Southwestern head coach Reggie Kindle said. “Guys kind of going against the grain of what we’re telling them to do to be successful. Went into halftime, kind of made some adjustments, got after some guys a little bit.”
Khayden Hooks finished with a team high 22 points in 22 minutes.
“Khayden is an extremely talented kid that can really play basketball,” Kindle said. “It’s just kind of a consistency thing. Khayden can get by people and really finish around the rim. He’s one of those guys that I’m trying to teach to play on two feet and extend to the rim. Credits to Khayden for making adjustments and playing off of two feet.”
Duke Carey and Devin Tomlinson also finished in double figures with 14 and 13 points respectively.
Southwestern mashed the gas in the second half, as the Spartans jumped out on an 18-7 run 7:21 into the final half.
Another improvement that the Spartans made during halftime adjustments was their ability to jump stop.
A jump stop is when a player comes to a stop lands on both feet simultaneously in a controlled manner.
“I’m really preaching jump stops because when you jump stop, you’re under control,” Kindle said. “You can go finish, you can make a pass, you can shot fake so jump stops are extremely important to this game to slow you down. It slows players down so they can see the whole floor and not be tunnel vision.”
With the Spartans lead being over 15 for the remainder of the game, and with the Spartans outscoring the Hawks 48-31 in the second half, bench players such as freshman Isaiah Peasley of Huxley got to see the floor.
“Isaiah is a really, really good kid,” Kindle said. “He’s a 4.0 student, just an every day guy. He comes from a really good family, a kid you’re just rooting for.”
Malik Westerfield, who had second half dunk, made his third appearance in a Spartan basketball uniform, as he was ineligible in the fall.
“We got him eligible and he’s just a guy who is dynamic to our team, we’re really lucky to have Malik,” Kindle said. “He settled down and he was the Malik we knew he could be.”
In addition to giving their best on the court, the Spartans are doing well in the classroom too.
“We got a team GPA of a 3.2, I don’t know the last time when that’s been done here and I’m really proud of their buy in,” Kindle said.
The Spartans play Metropolitan Community College on Saturday. Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Southwestern 82, Northeast 58
SOUTHWESTERN (FG FTS PTS) – Totals – 32 11-18 82. Khayden Hooks 8 5-8 22, Duke Carey 6 0-0 14, Devin Tomlinson 5 2-3 13, Malik Westerfield 4 0-0 9, Carson Busch 4 0-0 9, Brance Baker 1 2-2 5, AJ Lacabe 1 2-4 4, Isaiah Peasley 1 0-0 2, Teon Thomas 1 0-0 2, Josh Lee 1 0-0 2. 3-point baskets (7) – Carey 2, Busch 1, Baker 1, Tomlinson 1, Westerfield 1, Hooks 1. Team fouls – 19. Fouled out – None.
NORTHEAST (FG FTS PTS) – Totals – 20 13-22 58. Emaniel Alexandre 14 3-6 34, Chaz Cullum 2 3-4 7, Jared Lopez 2 3-5 7, Tanner Oestreich 1 0-0 3, Jaden Strachan 0 2-3 2, Collin Storr 1 0-1 2, Evan Decker 0 2-3 2. 3-point baskets (4) – Alexandre 3, Oestreich 1. Team fouls – 23. Fouled out – Decker, Strachan.