Semifinal home slide, men travel to S.D. for regional
By Kyle Ringo
The Metropolitan
As the shot fell off the rim an entire team shook its collective head at what it had just done.
It had battled back from a 15-point deficit. It had watched as its leading scorer faltered in the biggest game of the season. It saw another of its members pick up the slack in a dramatic display of marksmanship.
It had lost on its home floor for the first time in more than a year.
The Metro menâs basketball team slipped into its locker room a loser Feb. 28 after a 78-75 semifinal defeat to the University of Southern Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament.
DeMarcos Anzures got the ball with 8 seconds remaining. The Roadrunners trailed by three.
Anzures had missed his first nine three-point attempts in the game, but there was no reason to think he would miss the last.
He had led the team in scoring on almost every other occasion this season. He had nailed a cluster of clutch shots in two years of college basketball.
He had an off night. He finished 1-14.
ãWe had good looks at the end,ä coach Mike Dunlap said. ãThey just didnât go down.ä
Anzures dribbled down the middle of the court, guarded by one man. Seconds ticked away.
Junior Phillip DeGraffenreid tried futily to get open. He had brought the Roadrunners from 15 points behind with a dazzling display from three-point range. DeGraffenreid splashed five second-half bombs. Each energized his team to a higher level.
DeGraffenreid was hemmed in.
Four seconds, 3 ... Anzures had no choice. The sophomore fired from a familiar spot.
ãDeMarcos or Phil needs to take that shot,ä Dunlap said.
The shot hit the rim, bounced up and away, falling harmlessly to the floor.
Harmless, only in that it was not the last shot of the season.
Metro will play again in the North Central Regional tournament beginning March 6, in Brookings S.D.
The Thunderwolves had collected their 14th win in a row at Metroâs expense. And Dunlap knew his team had just lost to a hot foe.
ãTheyâve been mowing people down, and they didnât mow us down,ä Dunlap said. ãIt was good character by our guys to battle back.ä
DeGraffenreid led the Roadrunners with 18 points. All came courtesy of his remarkable touch from three-point range.
Seniors Adrian Navarro and Sidikie Kamara each played their final game in Auraria Events Center.
But the focus quickly changed from the loss to playing again.
The Roadrunners earned their Regional bid thanks to a stellar 24-4 record, with only one loss ÷ this loss ÷ coming at home.
Metro meets a familiar team in conference rival Fort Hays State on March 6.
