Joliet Junior College men's basketball dropped an 86–75 decision to Kankakee College on Tuesday, as the Cavaliers used a strong second half to pull away after a tight opening 20 minutes.
The game was deadlocked at halftime, 39–39, with both teams trading baskets and momentum throughout the first half. Joliet was able to match Kankakee shot-for-shot early, but the Cavaliers found another gear after the break.
Kankakee outscored JJC 47–36 in the second half, capitalizing on turnovers and converting at a high rate from the field to build separation. The Cavaliers finished the game shooting 60% overall, which proved difficult for the Wolves to contain down the stretch.
Jeffrey Fleming led Joliet with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting, adding five offensive rebounds and two defensive boards while battling inside all night. Kareem Parker finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, giving the Wolves steady production in the paint. Levi Goad added 11 points, while Victor Yatou chipped in nine points and six rebounds.
Despite solid individual efforts, Joliet struggled to keep pace late as Kankakee's efficient shooting and transition play created key runs in the final minutes.
"I think we competed in the first and second half, we just didn't take good care of the basketball down the stretch and Kankakee is a very quick and athletic team," said Wolves coach Danny Turner. "We haven't played in two and a half weeks and I thought we would come out rusty, but we didn't show that, so now we just have to get back to the drawing board and iron out the wrinkles."
Joliet will look to bounce back Saturday when the Wolves host Malcolm X College at 3 p.m.
