Red Ravens Advance with Thrilling 83-80 OT Victory Over NOC-Tonkawa

Hutchinson, Kan. - In thrilling overtime fashion, the Coffeyville Community College Red Raven Men's Basketball Team defeated the Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa Mavericks 83-80.  The quarterfinal win moves the #10 seeded Red Ravens (25-3) into the NJCAA semifinal round where they will play the #6 Chipola College Indians (23-4).

In a game where Coffeyville did not shoot their best, they were just determined enough to find a way to win.  The first two games of the NJCAA tournament saw the Red Ravens shoot lights out with shooting percentages well above 50% for each of the first two games.   However, in this game, the Ravens had a shooting percentage of 39% to NOC's 45%.  In a game that saw 18 lead changes, the Ravens found a way to win.  Determination, grit...whatever you would like to call it, this Red Raven team has it. 

The first half had the Ravens down by as many as 11 points (20-9) midway through the first half.  The rest of the first half had Coffeyville slowly clawing their way back into it but they still found themselves down seven points at halftime 41-34.

At the 14:50 mark of the second half, the score was knotted at 45-45 and the rest of the game saw the majority of those 18 lead changes.  Red Raven freshman center Blaise Keita tied the game at 71-71 with two made free throws at the 1:41 mark to go in the game.  Multiple missed shots by both teams over the last 1:41 had the game heading to overtime tied at 71-71.

Coffeyville struck first in the overtime with Raven's redshirt freshman Markeith Browning laying one in to give Coffeyville the 73-71 lead.  Coffeyville sophomore guard Tylor Perry connected on a two-point shot to give the Ravens a 75-71 lead at the 3:02 mark of overtime.  NOC quickly came down the floor and sunk a three-point shot to close to 75-74 at the 2:44 mark of overtime.  A couple of Perry-made free throws pushed the Raven lead up to 78-74.  NOC answered with a couple of their own free throws to again pull within two to 78-76.  Raven freshman guard Love Bettis got into the action sinking his own free throws to push the lead back to four at 80-76 at the 1:38 mark to go in overtime.  A couple more made Bettis free throws along with three more from Perry and the Ravens had an 83-80 lead with 16 seconds remaining.  NOC missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied it and Coffeyville had the 83-80 victory.

Browning led the Ravens with 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting.  Freshman center Blaise Keita pitched in 19 points and Perry connected for 16 points.  Bettis rounded out the Red Raven double-figure scoring with 11 points.

The #10 seeded Ravens roll into the NJCAA semifinals on Friday, April 23rd where they will play the #6 Chipola College Indians.  Tipoff in Hutchinson Kansas is set for 7:00 pm.