Samaad’s Go Ahead Three Wins It, ‘Cats Advance to Championship Saturday
By Jonathan Hudson
ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Down by two with 16 seconds left in the game, Central Washington’s Bradley Swillie grabbed a rebound, dribbled up the floor and kicked it out to Samaad Hector who elevated and drained the go ahead three with 1 second remaining. Hector’s three won it 81-80, as the Yellowjackets’ last shot didn’t fall. The Wildcats’ indescribable victory advances them to Championship Saturday tomorrow night against Alaska Anchorage.
QUOTABLE
“It just felt great, I appreciate my teammates for having an immense level of respect and trust in me to take that shot,” said Hector. “I wouldn’t have made that shot if my coaches and teammates didn’t build me up with the level of confidence that they have throughout the season.”
Samaad added, “the work that I have put in over the years and especially this summer and nothing could have prepared me better for the moment than the amount of reps I’ve put in. This one is all my teammates and my coaches. This is for them.”
Head Coach Brandon Rinta talked about the game and the crazy ending. “That was an unbelievable finish and MSUB is a tremendous team. They controlled most of that game. We came back, they had a run and then we had a run, but they always had an answer.”
Rinta added, “Nobody on our team quit. It’s funny our games against Billings have always been like this over the past six years. What I love about sports is that these guys dedicate their lives to it. I think a lot of people don’t realize is how many hours they spend and over the last two years, nobody has spent more time in the gym shooting than Sammaad has. Nobody deserved that shot to go in more than Samaad Hector. Credit to Bradley Swillie for making a very heady pass to get him the ball for that shot.”
Freshman Guard Jordan Clark spoke on the mentality that led to the comeback. “We just fight, we keep our composure, we never let the moment get too big and we mentally fight until the end.”
Photo: CWU Athletics
NOTABLE STATS
Jordan Clark led the way on Friday night, scoring 18 points on 5-10 shooting and a perfect 5-5 from the free-throw line.
Hector scored 15 points and hauled in nine boards, Camron McNeil put up 13 points, and Maverick Sanders scored 12.
Bradley Swillie had a great night. He contributed 10 points, had four assists and made three key free throws down the stretch.
In the loss, Zharon Richmond scored a game-high 27 points.
FIRST HALF USE
The Yellowjackets came to play and opened the game with an 8-0 run. Jalen Tot put the exclamation mark on MSUB’s hot start by hitting a transition corner three. The Wildcats responded with an 8-0 run of their own. Mitch Brizee, Camron McNeil, and Colby Gennett each made layups to cut the deficit to three, 15-12 with 10:14 remaining.
Down nine, Bradley Swillie buried a triple for Central Washington. Maverick Sanders hit a step back jumper and Mitch Brizee made two free throws, which tied the game at 29 with just over three minutes left in the half.
Montana State Billings made two big threes to end the half. At the break, the Yellowjackets led 36-32.
SECOND HALF
After the break, the Yellowjackets continued their hot shooting, but back-to-back threes from Clark and Hector put the ‘Cats ahead 45-43.
Montana State Billings stayed true to the game trend, rattling off a 12-0 run which extended their lead back to ten. Bryce Whitaker hit a step back three and made two free throws to increase their lead to 12, 60-48 with just over ten minutes to go.
Two threes from Clark and McNeil pulled the ‘Cats within four, but the Yellowjackets responded by hitting threes of their own to bring their lead back to 11.
The ‘Cats continued to fight. Samaad Hector drove the lane and put one up and in off the window, drawing the foul. Hector completed the and one which brought the ‘Cats within seven, with 4:10 remaining.
Clark came up big, hitting two free throws and a three with 1:51 left that shrunk Billings’ lead to six. Central Washington forced a shot clock violation and on the other end, McNeil made both free throws. The ‘Cats needed a turnover down by five with 50 seconds to go. McNeil intercepted the long inbounds pass. Cam quickly took it all the way to the hoop and laid it in to make it a three-point game.
Bradley Swillie got fouled on a three-point attempt and calmly made all three free throws. Swillie then came up with a huge layup that made it 80-78 with 16 seconds to go.
Central Washington fouled on the next possession, which sent MSUB to the line. The crowd in Nicholson went into a frenzy and the Yellowjackets missed both free throws. Bradley Swillie corralled the rebound, dribbled up the floor, cut in to the paint, and then kicked it out to Hector at the elbow. Hector elevated and drained the go ahead three with 1.1 seconds to go. The last shot for MSUB didn’t fall and Central Washington won 81-80 to advance to Championship Saturday.
UP NEXT
Hector’s Incredible game winner sends Central Washington to Championship Saturday where they will face the number six seed Alaska Anchorage tomorrow night at 7:30 in Nicholson Arena.
