Ellsworth Community College (ECC) avenged an 81-79 loss to the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) men's basketball team Jan. 13 with a 79-75 win over the Bears February 10 inside the DMACC gymnasium.
Freshman Lee Higgins of Chicago, Ill., scored 25 points and freshmen Ray Miller of Davenport and Elijah Ward of Joliet, Ill., added 13 and 10 points respectively as the Bears fell to 16-8 overall and 2-5 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).
DMACC led a 40-35 advantage at halftime slip away in the second half when the Bears were outscored 43-35. The Bears, who made 15 of 31 field goal attempts in the first half, shot just 40 percent in the second half (10-of-25) while ECC shot 58 percent, hitting 18 of 31 field goal attempts.
For the game, DMACC was 25-of-56 from the field, including 7-of-20 from three-point range. The Bears were 18-of-28 from the free throw line.
Ward and sophomore Wali Parks grabbed seven rebounds apiece as DMACC came away with a 37-31 advantage on the boards. Freshmen Devonta Prince of Brooklyn Center, Minn., and Brandon Lawani of Bolingbrook, Ill., had six rebounds apiece for the Bears. Parks led DMACC in assists with six and Higgins led the way in steals with four.
The DMACC men's basketball team will play Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) Feb. 14 at Estherville. ILCC is 17-7 overall and 5-2 in the ICCAC. The Lakers defeated DMACC 96-90 when the two teams played Jan. 17 inside the DMACC gymnasium.