T-Birds Fall to South Plains at Home

NMJC matched up with the South Plains Texans on Thursday night for another home game in Caster Activity Center. the T-Birds fell short by 5 points. 

Sophomore Dario Domingos put the T-Birds on the board with two big layups creating a 4-0 lead on the Texans. The T-Birds were able to maintain a short lead throughout the first half. Tommy Chatman contributed with a 3-pointer while sophomore Jordan Booker, Dario Domingos, and freshman Mohaumed Mbaye received points off of layups and free throws. The Texans stayed no more than 6 points behind the T-Birds and went into halftime down 5 points, 25-30. 

Top scorers in the first half for the T-Birds were sophomore Dario Domingos with 11 points, sophomore Jordan Booker with 6 points, and freshman Mouhamed Mbaye with 6 points. 

It was a tight second half as there were nine lead changes. The teams went back and forth the first 11 minutes of the second half until the Texans were able to keep a lead on the T-Birds after a dunk by South Plains' Khalifa Sakho, putting them ahead by 1, 48-47. The T-Birds remained right behind the Texans and had a second chance at the lead after a 3-pointer by freshman Elijah Beard with 2 minutes left, making them behind only 5 points, 58-63. Unfortunately that was not enought for the T-Birds as the Texans made a 3-pointer and 6 free throws in the final 2 minutes of the game. The T-Birds fell short 5 points, with a final score of 74-69. The T-Birds are now 7-5 in WJCAC conference play. 

Lead scorers for the T-Birds were Mohamed Mbaye and Dario Domingos with 20 points each. Following Mbay and Domingos in points was Jordan Booker with 16 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. 

The T-Birds next game will be on Monday, February 14th, at 6:30PM MST against New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM. They will be back home on Thursday, February 17th, for their final home game against Howard.