Texans keep control of postseason hopes with late bucket to beat FPC

Trailing 90-87 and time running out, Kendahl Amerson missed what would have been a game tying 3, but Moreira was there to grab the offensive board and was fouled putting the shot up, setting up a free throw opportunity that the Texans hoped would send the game into overtime.

Instead, Moreira missed, but Smith was there and laid the ball in for the lead.

Frank Phillips would miss a half-court heave to end the game. 

With the score tied up at 27 apiece just past the midway point of the first half, the Plainsmen took the largest lead of the game thanks to a 16-4 scoring run.  South Plains would narrow that gap to four, 43-39, by halftime.

In the second half, neither team led by more than five and with 90-seconds left the game saw its tenth tied score, 85-85. 

With under a minute remaining, Frank Phillips got a big 3 to take a three-point lead, but SPC'sRyan Martin answered in the paint on the next trip down to get SPC back to within one inside of 30 seconds to play.

A foul by Smith sent Taquan McDew to the line, where he converted both free throws to setup the dramatic conclusion.

The Texans overcame a night in which their opponent sank 17 3-point shots.

With the win, the Texans (21-7, 10-5) remain tied with Midland College (19-7, 10-5) for fourth place in the WJCAC standings and own the tiebreaker since South Plains defeated the Chaps in both games.

South Plains hosts Clarendon College in their regular season final Thursday, Feb. 28, while Midland must travel to New Mexico (23-6, 11-4).

Sophomore's Yanick Moreira, Devonte Smith, Forrest Robinson, and Anthony Walker will each play in their final game at the Texan Dome Thursday evening when the Texans play the Bulldogs at 7:45 p.m.

Live video of Thursday's contest will be broadcast live at www.spctexans.com and live audio can also be found by tuning the radio dial to KLVT 1230 AM.  KLVT Radio's Michael Wiiest will call the action from courtside.

South Plains (21-7, 10-5)
Yanick Moreira 12-22 0-1 24, Darrel Lucky 0-0 0-0 0, Devonte Smith 1-2 2-6 4, Malik Nichols 5-5 2-2 12, Kendahl Amerson 8-18 0-0 20, Forrest Robinson 0-0 0-0 0, Brandon Neel 3-6 0-0 7, Ryan Martin 6-6 7-8 19, Michael Karena 0-1 0-0 0, Anthony Walker 2-3 1-2 5. Totals 37-63 12-19 91

Frank Phillips (14-15, 4-11)
Ronald Scott 3-12 4-4 12, Earl Hill 11-20 0-1 29, Akeem Johnson 2-7 2-5 6, Emmanuel Johnson 2-5 0-0 4, Greg Nelson 6-8 4-4 21, Taquan McDew 6-15 3-6 18, Jordan Whelan 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-68 13-20 90

FG%: South Plains .587, Frank Phillips .441. 3-pt FG:South Plains 5-16 (Amerson 4-13, Neel 1-3), Frank Phillips 17-32 (Scott 2-6, Hill 7-13, Johnson 0-2, Nelson 5-5, McDew 3-5, Whelan 0-1). Rebounds: South Plains 37 (Moreira 13), Frank Phillips 32 (Scott 7, Nelson 7). Fouls South Plains 15, Frank Phillips 12. Fouled out: none. Technical: MCDEW. Assists: South Plains 21 (Smith 8), Frank Phillips 18 (Johnson 8). Steals: South Plains 10 (Smith 3, Walker 3), Frank Phillips 6 (Johnson 2). Blocked shots: South Plains 6 (Moreira 3), Frank Phillips 3 (Hill 1, Johnson 1, Johnson 1). Turnovers: South Plains 12, Frank Phillips 12.