Highlights (video)

PALATINE, Ill. - The Harper College men's basketball team played an opponent even for nearly the entire first half for the second straight game but once again, a lapse at the end of the first half that doomed the Hawks in 70-50 loss to Waubonsee Community College on Thursday night.  Leading 23-20 with 3:49 left, the Chiefs went on an 8-2 run before intermission to break the game open.
 
“I thought we scrapped really hard early,” said head coach Tony Amarino.  “I thought we were in the game most of the first half.  Then, they made a little run, and we were down nine.  And then we didn't come out in the second half like I thought we should have.”
 
The Hawks (5-9) took their only lead of the game at 2-0 a minute into the game on a rebound and putback from Brian Battaglia (Elk Grove, Ill., Elk Grove).  From there, Harper played catchup.  Connor Miklasz (Mt. Prospect, Ill., Hersey) hit a pull-up three-pointer to tie the game at 7-7 eight minutes in.
 
The Chiefs (7-4) increased their lead to ten points early in the second half as the Hawks tried to keep the game close.  Jordan Mack (Hillside, Ill., St. Joseph) found Kyler Market (Lombard, Ill., Willowbrook) for a reverse layup before Market knocked home a pair of free throws.  But Waubonsee's Cornell Nealey hit a three-pointer and Deontry Dorsey scored plus a foul, and Harper wouldn't get closer than ten points the rest of the game.
 
Market led the Hawks with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting and six rebounds.  Simeon Handy (Chicago, Ill., Farragut Academy) and Miklasz added seven points apiece.  Miklasz also handed out five assists while Mack hit three of his five shots for six points.  Horace Grant, Jr. (Deerfield, Ill., Deerfield) had three steals as the Hawks forced the Chiefs into 20 turnovers.
 
Battaglia pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, eight of which came in the first half.
 
“He does a lot of things for us,” Amarino said.  “He's one of our best all-around players, especially defensively.”
 
The loss was the team's seventh in a row.
 
“We just need a win,” Amarino said.  “If we get a win, then we will get a few more wins.”
 
Harper gets a day off before traveling to College of Lake County (6-5) on Saturday afternoon.  Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM.  The game with the Lancers will be the team's last of 2011.