Men season ends with loss to Wright College
By JJ Ossola
IV Leader Associate Editor
After heating up in the second half of the season with a
five-game winning streak, the IVCC men’s basketball team fell to Wilbur Wright
College 83-79 on March 1 to end the 2006 season.
“The team has had to overcome a lack of depth on the bench
due to ineligibilities and injuries,” coach Mike Riley said. “Our team has
struggled through that and really started to peak late in the season. It’s a
shame that we lost by four because we felt that we could compete with anyone in
the tournament.”
Maurice Montogmery was voted to the All-Region second team
with a season average of 18 points per game and was ranked 19th in rebounding
with 10 rebounds per game, according to the National Junior College Athletic
Association.
Many of the freshmen players are expected to return to the
Eagles next year.
Freshman Durrell Kern only played in the second half of the
season, but averaged 17.7 points a game, six rebounds, and five assists.
Freshman Quentin Noblin put up 14 points a game and ranked in
the top 50 for rebounding according to the NJCAA with eight rebounds.
“Noblin played really well this season if you look at the
size of the guys that he was forced to play against,” Riley said. “He never
backed down from anyone.”
“Jeremy Goodrum, Billy Ghighi, and George Gourad all played
exceptionally well this season but you wouldn’t know that from their numbers,”
Riley said. “The energy that they brought to the team really made a difference
towards the end and they add a lot of intangibles overall.”