Last Second Desperation Three By Wayne Gives LCCC Men Their First Loss of Season

November 18, 2022 - - Lorain County Community College men's basketball dropped its first game of the season Friday evening to Wayne County Community College, 61-60.

Gut-wrenching would be an understatement as the Commodores first loss came on a desperation three-point basket from Wayne's Sincere Key, with 5.3 seconds remaining.  The long-range bomb completed a 22-point comeback for the Wildcats (3-2), who went into the half down 38-16. 

They had never led in the game until Key's three, thanks to a dominant first half by the Commodores (3-1) that saw seven different players score and force 14 Wildcat turnovers.  They held Wayne to 22% shooting in the first 20 minutes, having eight steals and five blocks.

But as good as the Commodores were in the first half, they were as bad in the second half.  LCCC turned the ball over 15 times and shot 25% from the field after the break, allowing the Wildcats to slowly chip away. 

Scoring in double figures for the Commodores were Jayden Roberts (Wellington, Ohio/Wellington, HS) with 10 points and eight rebounds, Luqman Lateef (Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw HS), and Quante May (Cleveland, Ohio/Horizon Science Academy) both chipping in 13 points each with Lateef getting seven rebounds and two assists.  May went 3-for-4 from long range, including two in the second half that tried to desperately keep the Wildcats at bay.

Bennett Sulen (Avon, Ohio/St. Edward HS) had one of his vintage games with 15 rebounds, three assists and two steals.  Lem Payne (Philadelphia, Pa./Mount Pleasant HS) chipped in eight points with five steals, four rebounds, and one assist.

The Commodores will have little time to shake this one off as they welcome the Jamestown Community College Jayhawks to the Ewing Activities Center Saturday afternoon at 1 pm.