By Timothy Bold
The Scene staff
The STLCC men’s basketball team fought all season to find consistency and chemistry and in the end fell short.
The Archers finished 17-13 after losing 74-59 to MCC-Penn Valley of Kansas City, Mo., in the Region 16 championship game March 3 in Jefferson City.
On the same day, the STLCC women saw their season end in a surprise – a 82-77 loss in the Region 16 championship to North Central Community College of Trenton, Mo.
In their season-ending loss, the men got off to a sluggish start and fell behind by 30 points in the first half, eventually getting no closer than 15 points the rest of the game.
“They hit us in the gut in the first five minutes and we couldn’t recover,” said freshman forward Cameron Lockett (McCluer North).
On the loss coach Terry Collins said, “MCC-Penn Valley was emotionally ready for this game. I’ll take the blame for not having them on the right emotional pitch. We were in a feel-good phase and the other team came out fighting.”
The upbeat feeling came in the semifinal game the night before, when the Archers overcame a 19-point deficit and defeated North Central Missouri College 67-62. Sophomore guards Raushaun Amos (Soldan) had 18 points and Jalen Wadlington (CBC) added 17 and a clamping-down defense was the deciding factor.
“We realized at halftime our system would work if our style of play was implemented,” Collins said.
“We played defense and everybody did what they were capable of doing,” said freshman guard Charles James (Northwest Academy) on the come-from-behind victory.
“It was a great environment to be around. Everybody felt like winning the game,” said Lockett. “I wish we could have continued the mindset and energy during the finals.”
Collins said the team had problems with freshmen adapting to a college game and the sophomores faced adjustments of their own.
“Most of our returning players had to play different positions. We didn’t successfully make the adjustments it isn’t an easy thing,” Collins said. Sophomore guard Henderson Faulkner (Parkway West) added, “The beginning of the season was looking ugly and it took time to mesh.”
Freshman learning a new system added to the challenge of molding the team. “It was hard to adapt to playing a new position with returnees and incoming freshman,” Lockett said.
Collins called Darius Riley “the emotional center of the team.”
In late January the Archers seemed poised for a late run, going on a seven-game winning streak. Including back-to-back road wins against junior college powerhouses Three Rivers Community College and Mineral Area College. “The streak came from no outside interference, just playing basketball,” said James.
Then injury struck the two leading scorers, both freshmen. In late February guard-forward Sterling Wooten (Cardinal Ritter), who averaged 9.7 points a game and guard Dominic Lloyd (Kirkwood), who averaged 10.9, both were lost for the season.
“Those key injuries were major setbacks at the end of the season,” said Faulkner. “It held us back going into postseason.”
The team lost three of its last four, including the Region 16 championship.
“This season was a definite rollercoaster,” James said. “We had some lows, real highs and had to come back down.”
Next fall the team will have 10 returning players, including Todd Simms, who averaged 10.1 points a game for the 2016-17 team and sat out this season. With Simms, the team qualified for nationals a year ago.
“Coming back next season is the recipe of success,” says Lockett. “If you don’t want it, no point of being on the floor.”
Women finish 25-4
The Lady Archers, who went into the regional tournament ranked No. 4 in the nation, got an early exit after the upset loss to North Central. In two regular season meetings, STLCC had beaten the Pirates 89-65 and 69-55.
The Pirates dominated the first quarter 23-16 and stayed in. “We had a slow start and never could recover,” said sophomore point guard Erica Waelterman.
The Lady Archers converted only 19 of 36 free throws and just two of 18 in 3-point range. The team averaged 29.5 percent on 3-pointers this season, their third consecutive 20-win effort.
Sophomores Chrishana Wilson, Ellisha Davis and Andrannae Wash were named to the All-Region 16 tournament second team.
Three players have committed to four-year universities: Davis is going to Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.; Wilson has committed to the University Missouri Kansas City; and Waelterman is headed to Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla.
Six freshmen will return next season, including Simone Rodney and Caprice Harrison, who both averaged 8.6 points a game.