BY AARON PATTERSON
DANVILLE — To say that both the Kirkwood Community College Eagles and Lewis and Clark Community College Trailblazers were emotionally drained following their NJCAA Division II National Tournament semifinal losses might not fully describe the disappointment the two squads felt.
One team still had an opportunity to finish the season on a winning note, and after a first-half struggle, the Eagles left Danville with a 81-72 double-overtime win.
Falling just short of a title-game appearance and being asked to return the following day to play for third-place left Kirkwood coach Doug Wagemester with a unique feeling.
“It felt like we have been going to the job for a year and now all of the sudden they fire us,” Wagemester said. “It’s like going to work and they fire you. But when they fire you, they tell you, you’ve got to come back for one more day and do a good job when you come back.
“That’s hard to overcome. But I think what happened today with our group is, our sophomore leadership kind of surfaced. We left our sophomores out there for the last five minutes of the game in both overtimes. They found a way to get it done which I’m proud of. I’m happy for those guys that they were able to do that.”
Kirkwood’s rocky start was quickly turned into a second-half advantage with the Eagles seemingly on their way to the win. But the Trailblazers hit seven 3-pointers in the final 6:26 of regulation, capped by Rico Pierrevilus’ trey with only five seconds to go that sent the game to the first overtime period.
The intense final 30 minutes of the contest was a deep contrast to a first-half struggle that managed only 13 total points in the first nine minutes of play.
“It was all a mental thing,” said Kirkwood All-Tournament team selection Jarvis Williams. “After coming off the tough loss yesterday, a lot of us, our heads were down. We knew we had a game to play. I’m a sophomore and I wasn’t going to let us lose it. I just made it up in my mind that I was going to come out and get it done. It’s our last time.”
Williams made only two baskets in the first half, but finished with a team-high 17 points. Jordan Stoermer scored 13 for Kirkwood including a 3-pointer with 1:07 remaining in the second overtime that put the Eagles up 76-72.
While the Trailblazers had their share of difference-making runs throughout the game, their offense stalled late scoring only two points in the final five minutes of play.
“My guys are sapped,” LCCC coach Deon Thomas said. “That was a very good Kirkwood team. I thought we had them there for a second, but there is a little bit of a learning curve in there for all of us. I think this one hurts a little bit more than yesterday’s.
“I know both of those games will be replayed in my mind a million times by the time next season rolls around. I’m proud of my guys. They came out two nights in a row, double overtime and fought hard. They never gave up. But you’ve got to start building again, I guess.”
Pierrevilus led all scorers with 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Darius Lowery recorded all 15 of his points for LCCC from behind the 3-point line.
Kirkwood’s Trevell Rivers had the game’s only double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Despite entering the tournament with much higher goals, the Eagles were at least satisfied with finishing their season with a win.
“I had a pretty good season,” Williams said. “Sometimes I felt like I let myself down, but I know that being my last game as a Kirkwood Eagle, I had to step up. Whatever I had to do, I was going to go out there and do it because it was my last game. I love the game and I love Kirkwood.”
