By Marissa VanWingen
Ellsworth Community College traveled to Boone for the regular season finale versus DMACC, the Panthers started out on top before the advantage dissipated in the second half. The Bears escaped with a 45-41 victory.
The next step is the Region XI Tournament. ECC (14-14, 10-12) earned the eighth and final seed and will play at No. 6 Kirkwood Community College in the Region XI-B semifinal on Saturday.
The Panthers took their first lead early in the opening stanza and then went on a 7-2 scoring spree that was capped by an Addy Dennis free throw (12-4) and the visitors led 12-6 after the first quarter.
Another pair of Dennis freebies extended ECC's lead to nine (19-9) with 5:58. The Bears scored the final seven points of the half to cut the deficit to two at the break – 19-17.
The visitors were on top in the third period until the seven minute mark when DMACC evened the score at 23-all. The hosts would remain in the lead with a 34-28 difference heading into the final quarter. The Bears outscored the Panthers 17-9 in the third.
While DMACC led the rest of the game, it was never by more than six. With six minutes left to go in the contest, Inma Martinez made a basket and was fouled, connecting on the free throw and trimmed the advantage down to two (38-36).
The game came down to the wire and with 34 seconds on the clock, Claudia Sanz Dorange's freebies cut the lead down to one (42-41). DMACC made one of two free throws before ECC got the ball back. The Panthers committed one of their 20 turnovers and then had to foul.
Once again the Bears (22-8, 14-8) made one of two to extend the lead. ECC had a chance to make a triple to even the game at 44-all but missed it and DMACC nabbed the rebound and made a key free throw to extend the lead to five with four seconds left.
For more on ECC Athletics visit https://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc/
ICCAC Basketball
Wednesday at Boone
ECC: 12| 7| 9| 13 – 41
DMACC: 6| 11| 17| 11 – 45
ECC Scoring: Yaiza Soriano Balaguer 7 0-2 14; Asia Beale 2 5-10 9; Claudia Sanz Dorange 1 4-4 6; Rebekka Holm 1 0-0 3; Inma Martinez 1 1-1 3; Addy Dennis 0 3-4 3; Sofia Berraquero Beltran 1 0-0 3.