DANVILLE — The Danville Area Community College boys basketball’s win streak has seen almost anything and everything.
On Wednesday, the No. 7 ranked Jaguars faced a new situation: Trying to win a game against a 7-14 team that just broke an six-game losing streak on a day where DACC’s offense and defense were sluggish for most of the game.
They looked at the record and thought that they were going to walk all over them and I said in this conference, that doesn’t happen,” DACC head coach DaJuan Gouard said. “We have to go out and get the job done and beat teams in this league. Spoon River beat DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College), who is either first or second in the country and that’s a team to worry about. They challenged us in some ways we haven’t been challenged for a while, but we have to be better and take on the challenges big or small and not overlook or take for granted.”
Down 32-31 at halftime, the Jaguars would rally late in the second half and pull away with a 73-64 win that makes the team 17-1 with 16 straight victories.
“Those last couple of minutes was one of the most fun parts of the season,” DACC sophomore guard Blake Reed said. “Even though it was close, we pulled it out, fought and showed we are at the top for a reason. Teams are giving us their best shot all the time. We have to lock in and know who we are and believe in ourselves.”
At one point in the second half, the Snappers would go out to a six-point lead, but the Jaguars would come roaring back with Reed making some key 3-pointers and the defense finding its way.
“I think the last couple of minutes, we had defensive stops and when we get defensive stops and get into transitions and the guys make shots, we are tough to beat,” Gouard said. “We played the type of basketball we have been playing all season, but it took us 35 minutes to get there to get to that point which I would have preferred to happen in the first five minutes.”
“If I can be honest, for 38 minutes of the game, they wanted it more. They played with an intensity and we didn’t match it. It wasn’t because we couldn’t but I think it is because we thought it was an easy game. When you think something is easy, you don’t go at things as hard and with intent and we were in a situation we were fighting for out lives.”
“I haven’t been shooting the ball very well which is what I am here for,” Reed said. “The team believes in me and they keep telling me to shoot but I am in the gym and missing my shots and it messes with you mentally. So I was trying to lock back in and get my shot back. In the end, coach trusted me and my teammates trusted me to knock down shots and that’s what happened.”
Jordan Dickson had 14 points for DACC, while Keyton Barnes had 11 points, Danzell Anatoewe had 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, Jerimiah Poniewaz had eight points and five assists and Jeremy Wilson had seven points and seven rebounds.
The Jaguars will play at Rend Lake today with the knowledge that Gouard tried to show them, but now know for good.
“I have been telling them that, but I hope this game is not what gets them to realize that,” Gouard said. “We have an X on our back and we have Xs already for hosting the NJCAA tournament and being ranked sixth makes the target even bigger. We are going to Rend Lake Saturday and I told the guys they are going to be ready for us. We cannot perform like we did for 38 minutes and think we can win at that place, so we will see.”
“He preaches that in practice that we are targets and we have to realize that we are going to get their best shot,” Reed said. “Because we are ranked and people have to come through Danville to get the national championship.”