LCC Hoops Tops #1 Schoolcraft in OT

James L. Edwards III - Lansing State Journal

Lansing Community College forward Jimmy Kodet has a short list of memorable buckets in his basketball career.

A game-winning, full-court heave in high school is one that still resonates with the former Williamston standout. The other came Wednesday night.

With his team trailing No. 1-ranked Schoolcraft, 74-72, with seconds remaining in regulation, Kodet cleaned up a Javon Haines missed layup to force overtime. And from there, the fifth-ranked Stars handled business.

LCC outscored the previously-unbeaten Ocelots, 16-6, in the extra period to grab a 90-80 victory at Gannon Gymnasium.

"When the shot's going up, it's just everyone crashes," said Kodet, who had 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. "I was just the lucky man to be there."

The Stars (9-1) were fortunate to be in position to contend late, after several careless first-half turnovers derailed their hot start and left them trailing by seven to start the second half.

With about six minutes remaining in regulation, and his team down by nine, Mike Johnson nailed a 3-pointer to cut Schoolcraft's lead to four. LCC held the Ocelots to just one field goal during that span and outscored them, 6-2, down the stretch to force overtime.

"We made the plays," Stars coach Mike Ingram said. "With about seven or eight minutes to go, we were right there. We kept turning the ball over, or we wouldn't make the right pass.

"I told these guys that I think we're a pretty good defensive team. With about five minutes to go, I thought that we buckled down and made stops."

Haines, an East Lansing High School alum, scored 17 of his game-high 30 points in the second half and overtime for LCC. Both he and Kodet carried most of the scoring load in the first half and helped the Stars capture a 13-point lead before Schoolcraft closed with a 22-6 run.

Haines, the reigning NJCAA Division II Player of the Week, said the comeback victory over the nation's top-ranked team shows where his squad stands in the early portion of the season.

"Coach always tells us that when we're playing lower-ranked team we have a target on our back. They had a target on their back and we hit it," he said. "We went away from what got us the lead. And I think once we got it together and realized that we're going to win and lose as a team, that's when we got the win."

Photograph provided by the Lookout