Balanced scoring lifts DMACC men's basketball team past ECC

Sophomore Demarion Bariffe-Smith of Skokie, Ill., led five players in double figures with 17 points as the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) men's basketball team took an 86-70 decision from Ellsworth Community College (ECC) February 15 at Iowa Falls.

Freshman Mike Hartford of McKinney, Texas, came away with 16 points, freshman Mike Bradshaw of Chester, Penn., had 15 points and sophomore Zach Lester of Clear Lake and freshman Ryan Schmitt of Van Meter tallied 10 points apiece as the Bears improved to 23-4 for the season and 9-2 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC). Freshmen Willie Guy of Cedar Rapids and John Herrick of Boone barely missed double figures with nine points apiece.

DMACC, ranked fifth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, trailed 7-0 before using a 17-0 run to take control of the game. The Bears led by as many as 12 points before settling for a 43-33 advantage at halftime. Lester's three-point basket 12 seconds into the second half pushed DMACC's advantage to 13 points, 46-33, and ECC never got closer than nine points the rest of the way. DMACC led by as many as 21 points midway through the second half.

The Bears shot 50 percent in the win, hitting 29 of 58 field goal attempts. They were 11-of-21 from three-point range and 17-of-19 from the free throw line.

ECC came away with a 37-28 advantage on the boards with Herrick's nine rebounds leading DMACC. Guy dished out a team-high six assists and Hartford finished with five. Herrick led the Bears in steals with four and Schmitt recorded three blocked shots.

The DMACC men's basketball team will face Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) Feb. 19 inside the DMACC gymnasium. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ILCC, ranked 10th in NJCAA Division II, is 22-4 overall and shares the ICCAC lead with DMACC at 9-2. The Lakers took a 69-59 decision from the Bears when the two teams played Jan. 22 at Estherville.