Talton’s 3-pointer lifts JWCC men to victory in first game of New Year’s Classic

QUINCY — The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team has some fight in it.

That didn’t get left at home during the holiday break.

In the Trail Blazers’ first game in two weeks, they scored the final five points, including Joshua Talton’s 3-pointer with three seconds remaining in regulation, to snare a 76-73 victory from McHenry County in the JWCC New Year’s Classic at the Student Activity Center.

JWCC led by as many as 11 points on two different occasions in the final 10 minutes, but McHenry County went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 69 with four minutes remaining.

The Trail Blazers (6-6) regained the lead on a pair of Nolan Deitrich free throws with 3:47 to play. McHenry County’s Anthony Lieuwen tied the game with a jumper on the next possession, and the Scots took the lead on Montreal McCullough’s basket with 2:58 to play.

Neither team scored until JWCC’s Logan Robbins saved the possession after a Deitrich missed 3-pointer and got the ball to Cachao Gianquinto Jr. under the basket for a layin to tie the game at 73.

McHenry County turned the ball over on a shot clock violation on the ensuing possession, giving JWCC the ball with 32 seconds remaining. The Trail Blazers got the ball to Gianquinto on the right block, and he turned into the lane and kicked a pass to Talton on the left wing.

With a defender in his face, Talton buried the 3-pointer for the lead.

JWCC withstood McHenry County missing a desperation 3-pointer on the final possession to snap a six-game losing streak.

Jake Wallingford led the Trail Blazers with 20 points, while Gianquinto added 11 and Deitrich had 10 points and five assists.

JWCC faces Kishwaukee College at 3 p.m. Sunday to wrap up the New Year’s Classic.