Benejan Hits 1000 Point Milestone; Last Second Shot By Edison State Defeats LCCC

January 11, 2025 - - The Lorain County Community College men's basketball team had victory — and a celebration for their prolific scorer Deonte Benejan — ripped from their grasp by a three-point shot at the buzzer from Edison State Community College Saturday afternoon. The Chargers won the contest, 94-91.

Edison's Jaylen Simmons delivered the game-winning shot, capping off a game filled with momentum swings, with the lead changing hands nine times.

The Commodores started strong, grabbing an early 9-4 lead. However, the Chargers stormed back, building an 11-point advantage midway through the first half. LCCC responded with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to just one point after a layup by Benejan (Queens, N.Y./Lorain HS). The Commodores entered halftime trailing Edison, 41-38.

The second half saw LCCC battle back to take a 68-67 lead after a layup from Dennis Pettis Jr. (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain HS). The game turned into a back-and-forth affair, with both teams exchanging leads in the final minutes.

Pettis Jr. tied the game at 91 with a clutch layup with just 40 seconds left. However, a late turnover by LCCC on a charge call set the stage for Simmons' buzzer-beater, as he slipped past the Commodore defense to seal the win.

Pettis Jr. delivered an outstanding performance with 34 points on 14-of-18 shooting, adding two steals and two blocks. Deonte Benejan scored 31 points, including his milestone 1,000th career point midway through the second half. The sophomore also grabbed six rebounds.

Anthony Atkins (Cleveland, Ohio/Valley Forge HS) contributed seven points, five rebounds, and three assists in a solid all-around effort.

LCCC shot 49.3% from the field, including an impressive 56.3% in the second half. They also excelled at the free-throw line, converting 20 of 26 attempts.

Next Up:

Saturday's contest was the first of four straight home games for the Commodores over the next two weeks. They will host the Hocking College Hawks inside the Ewing Activities Center Gymnasium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.