The #13 ranked South Plains College Texans basketball team started the month of Feb. strong, beating Clarendon College and #10 ranked Odessa College this past week.
The Texans hosted Clarendon on Monday, beating them 81-57, behind unreal team shooting. SPC shot 50% from the field and 39% from three, and it’s not like Clarendon shot badly at 42% from the field and 40% from three.
The Texans just shot better, making six more total shots and seven more three- pointers, as well as five more free throws.
They would also best Clarendon by seven in the turnover margin and capitalize on that, outscoring them 2816 on points off turnovers.
Texans’ standouts against Clarendon included Zion Pipkin with 17 points powered by three three-pointers made and a 4/5 free throw effort, adding two rebounds, two assists and a steal, Deion Ware with 13 points behind a 4/4 free throw effort, adding six rebounds, three assists and a steal, and Keith Richard with 11 points behind three three-pointers made, adding six assists, two rebounds and two steals.
On Thursday, the Texans hosted Odessa, beating them 79-67, securing the win by
dominating the boards and once again shooting effectively.
SPC bested them 44-24 in rebounds, 51% to 37% in
field goal shooting, 40% to 31% in three-point shooting and 71% to 50% in free throw shooting, making 10 more free throws. Those efforts were all enough for the Texans to overcome losing the turnover battle by 11.
Texans’ standouts against Odessa included Antallah Sandlin’el with 27 points be- hind 9/16 field goal shooting and 8/9 free throw shooting, adding 10 rebounds and one assist, Aliou Maiga with 12 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks, and Richard with 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal.
The pair of wins improved the Texans to 17-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play, which was to Texans Head Basketball Coach Cinco Boone’s liking.
“We are proud of our guys and how they competed and protected our home floor as we get into Febru - ary conference basketball. Both Clarendon and Odessa present unique challenges with changing defenses constantly, and both teams have good size and length,” Coach Boone said. “I thought our guys did a good job defending with physicality and finishing possessions with rebounding. We held both teams to low shooting percentages and achieved our goal of holding teams under 70 points.”
Coach Boone would go on to say his guys need to clean up their turnovers and transition defense moving forward if they want to achieve their goals. He also noted that this week of conference basketball will be crucial to the Texans’ playoff hopes, encouraging fans to come out to their upcoming games.
The Texans host #11 ranked Midland College for a huge matchup early in the week and then they head to face Frank Philips College on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
The Texans return home on Monday at 6:30 p.m. against New Mexico Military Institute in the Texan Dome.