Blue Devils knock off No. 3 ranked St. Cloud Tech
Published 10:00 pm Wednesday, February 5, 2014
The Riverland Community College men’s basketball team was hanging on to its season by a thread and the No. 3 team in the nation was coming to town.
Riverland’s Gary Cook fights up a lay-up against St. Cloud Tech. in Riverland Gym Wednesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Blue Devils didn’t flinch.
RCC put together its best effort of the season as it knocked off St. Cloud Tech. (18-3 overall, 6-2 MCAC South) 68-61 in Riverland Gym Wednesday.
Austin grad Goliath Oboyo gave the Blue Devils (10-12 overall, 3-6 MCAC South) the lead for good when he converted a put-back to make it 62-61. Oboyo gave RCC even more momentum when he drew a charge on the Cyclones’ ensuing possession with 1:57 left in the game.
RCC put the game away at the free throw line down the stretch and Oboyo tallied 16 points and nine rebounds in the win.
“It gives us a lot of hope. We’ve been in sluggish lately, but this shows us we can play anybody,” Oboyo said. “[My game] is getting better. I’ve got to keep working at it and stay out of foul trouble.”
RCC was led by Andrew Lau in the first half and he finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, but Lau sat with foul trouble for a long spurt during the second half.
“It was a tale of two halves. Lau was the guy in the first half and then he had foul trouble,” RCC head coach Scott Koenigs said. “Oboyo and Gary [Cook] played great in the second half. They played well together. Gary would break them down and Oboyo would make nice cuts to the basket. Oboyo’s playing tremendous, tremendous basketball right now.”
Cook was an ignitor on both ends of the court as he scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished five assists and had eight steals. Cook, a freshman from Spring Lake Park, played sparingly earlier this season, but he’s stepped up his game down the stretch.
“I’ve been working hard in practice and trying to get myself in the flow during games,” Cook said. “I’m trying to help the team as best as possible.”
RCC led 50-42 halfway through the second half, but the Cyclones answered with a 14-0 run to take a 54-50 lead. The Blue Devils had an answer as they out-played St. Cloud Tech. in the final minutes.
“We just had to slow down and run our offense,” Cook said. “We had to finish the game and we finished it off.”
Koenigs said its been a long time since the Blue Devil have knocked off a team in the top-10 and he hopes the program is on the rise. For the second straight season, RCC has had to play without a starter and the sixth man as guards Brandon Kowalski and Carderrius Smith were sidelined for the year with injuries.
“The guys stepped up tonight,” Keonigs said. “Our season was on the line and we stayed in contention for the playoffs. It’s a fun team with good guys and good character.”
Riverland’s Andrew Lau shoots over St. Cloud Tech’s Lucas Rynda in Riverland Gym Wednesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
SC 32 29 — 61
RCC 37 31 — 68
RCC scoring: Guillermo DeDiego, 18; Andrew Lau, 16; Goliath Oboyo, 16; Gary Cook, 10; Bobbie Stephens, 3; Tucker Kinniry, 3; Connor Andrews, 2; field goals: 36 percent (22-for-62); 3-pointers: 50 percent (4-for-8); free throws: 71 percent (20-for-28); rebounds: 47 (Lau, 13); turnovers: 16
