Balanced effort helps Seward outlast Cowley 69-60

Getting four starters to score in double figures, the Seward County Saints broke a second-half tie midway through the second half of its Saturday home game against the Cowley College men's basketball team to defeat the Tigers 69-60.

The game was important in the conference standings, with both teams vying for a home playoff game. With only the top eight teams guaranteed of a home game, Seward (13-13) moved into a tie for seventh place in the Jayhawk Conference with a record of 9-11. The Tigers (14-11) are now in ninth place with a conference mark of 8-11.

Cowley trailed by as many as 13 points (36-23) in the opening half before going into halftime down 41-34.

Trailing 47-36 early in the second half, Cowley would use a 14-3 run to tie the game at 50-50 following a three-pointer by Demetrius Rives with 10:55 left to play. Unfortunately, the Tigers would score only three points over the next eight minutes, and Seward would make enough plays down the stretch to pull out the victory.

"We played hard enough to win," Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said. "The thing that came back to haunt us were a few mental lapses, but they happened at inopportune times."

Jeff Nwankwo (20 points), Xavier Washington (16 points), and Xavier Valley (13 points) combined to score 49 of the Tigers' 60 points.

"I thought Ziggy, Jeff, and Zay played well offensively," Jackson said. "I hope that is a trend as we move forward."

The other Tigers combined to go 5-of-16 from the floor and score only 11 points. Sophomore Mekhi Cameron, who entered the game averaging close to 20 points per contest, was held to a season-low two points on 1-of-6 shooting.

Wilson Dubinsky led Seward with 18 points.

The Tigers will return home to face Garden City Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and Colby Saturday at 3 p.m.

"We have a two-game home stand coming up. We need to protect home court," Jackson said.