Chambers hits winner as Texans survive pesky ENMU

Tarleton stretches win streak to 11 over ENMU

Advertisement
Senior Chantz Chambers drove for the game-winning layup with 5.81 seconds remaining to lift No. 12 Tarleton State to a 76-74 win over Eastern New Mexico at Wisdom Gym Thursday. || Courtesy NATE BURAL/Tarleton Athletic Communications

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (February 2, 2017) — Chantz Chambers drove through the Eastern New Mexico defense and knocked down a game winning layup with 5.81 seconds remaining as No. 12 Tarleton State (19-3, 10-2) maintained its narrow lead atop the Lone Star Conference with a 76-74 win over pesky Eastern New Mexico (8-14, 2-10) Thursday night.

“If they collapsed I was going to kick it out for the open shot, but he was late when he stepped in to help, so I maneuvered by him for the layup,” said Chambers of the game-winning play.

Joe Clark threw up a desperation 3-point try at the buzzer for Eastern New Mexico, but there were two sets of outstretched arms in his face and he heaved the ball over the backboard as time expired.

Tarleton took a timeout with 31 seconds left and called a play the Texans have used successfully throughout the season late in shot clocks – isolating Chambers one-on-one at the top of the key.

It’s a set that Chambers has made as efficient as it is simple. And as it has so many times before, it worked.


Advertisement

“I feel very confident in that situation,” said Chambers, who credits his other sport with developing the ability to make such plays. “Track has a lot to do with it. With my quickness and explosiveness, if they come out too tight, I believe I can go by them and score inside.”

He did, and Tarleton won. It was the third straight victory after tough road wins at Cameron (Okla.) and Midwestern State last week, keeping the Texans a game ahead of UT-Permian Basin atop the LSC standings. Tarleton hosts Western New Mexico at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Chambers scored 18 points to lead Tarleton, which improved to 12-0 when Romond Jenkins records a double-double. The senior center collected 10 points and 13 rebounds, but even after his two rim-rattling dunks set off the rowdy crowd early in the second half of Stephenville Night at Wisdom Gym, Eastern New Mexico weathered the storm and stayed with the Texans stride for stride until the final seconds.

“Night in, night out, we’re going to get everyone’s best shot,” Chambers said. “With Eastern New Mexico, I don’t care what their record is, we knew they just beat (West Texas A&M) last week, so we know they what they’re capable of.”

It was Tarleton’s 11th straight win and 21st in its last 22 meetings with the Greyhounds, this one closer than any of the prior 10. The Texans beat ENMU for the 20th consecutive time at home, a streak that dates back to a 73-70 loss on February 8, 1996.

Tarleton led 74-70 with 1:49 to play following a short jumper by Ridell Camidge, but he followed a layup by ENMU guard Joe Clarke with an ill-advised quick 3-point attempt, and Clarke grabbed the defensive board and drove for another lay-in to tie the game at 74-74 with 39 seconds remaining.

Clarke did all the scoring in the final three minutes for ENMU, following a Camidge layup with an offensive rebound and tip-in that cut it to 72-70 wit 2:08 to go. Clarke led everyone with 21 points, six of those in his late surge.

But Chambers, the reigning LSC Offensive Player of the Week, was more efficient for Tarleton, going 7-10 from the floor including 3-4 from the arc. Clarke was 8-18 total and 3-11 from 3. Chambers, of course, also hit the game winner.

The score was tied eight times and there were seven lead changes. ENMU’s last lead was 66-65 following a layup by Javaan Mumtaz with 4:42 left. Tarleton was ahead or tied the rest of the way following a a pair of free throws by Camidge with 4:16 remaining.

Camidge was scoreless in the first half for the second straight outing, but just as he did in Tarleton’s comeback at rival Midwestern State Saturday, the junior shooting guard responded with a big second half, this time tallying 14 points. He was 6-8 from the floor after halftime, when Tarleton shot a white-hot 70.8 percent (17-24).

A big 3 by freshman power forward Anthony Davis made it 70-66, but Andre Hughes hit a pair from the stripe to bring ENMU back within two and set up the exciting finish.

Davis finished with 11 to give the Texans four double-digit scorers. Junior point guard Deshawn Riddick ran the Tarleton offense for 34 minutes with six assists and just one turnover while also scoring six points. Both teams turned it over just seven times.

Lamarquis Thompson and Andre Hughes each netted 13 for the Greyhounds, who have not defeated Tarleton since a 59-56 struggle in Portales on January 16, 2013. This was the first time since that they have come within 10 points.

First-year Greyhound head coach Tres Segler has had prior battles with Tarleton. He was the top assistant coach to Nelson Haggerty at Midwestern until landing his first head coaching dig this season. His team stayed within eight all night after the Greyhounds lost to Tarleton by 25 or more in three of the last five meetings.

The Hounds will try again for a road upset on Saturday when they venture even farther from home to take on Texas A&M-Commerce at 4 p.m.


Advertisement