Freshman Adyn McGinley's free throws with .9 seconds left lifted the Chaparrals to an 88-87 victory over visiting Elgin Community College in their NJCAA Region 4 men's basketball home opener Tuesday night.
 
McGinley led COD (2-1 overall, 1-1 Region 4) with 18 points and sophomore Greg Strong was right behind with 17 points including four 3-pointers as COD gained control in the opening five minutes of the second half and got the upper hand against the Spartans.
 
All-Region sophomore Braylen Meredith was equally effective, adding 15 points with nine rebounds and his key shooting from the line down the stretch paid off as COD snapped a seven-game losing streak dating to the 2013-14 season against Elgin.
 
"Adyn and Bray(len) down the stretch came through for us, and Greg's outside shooting gave us the lift we needed to start the second half,'' head coach Joe Kuhn said. "We needed to take care of the ball better than what we showed in the first half.''
 
COD found itself trailing by 12 (42-30) and got going by finishing the final 4:16 of the half on an 11-2 run that started on freshman Payton Moore's second 3-pointer of the half.
 
"You can't really simulate in practice what Elgin did to stop us in the first half,'' Kuhn said.
 
Strong helped lead the charge in the opening five minutes of the second, hitting three treys, including a four-point play and COD offered a 15-4 run and led 56-48 with 16:20 left.
 
Meredith and McGinley keyed the Chaps down the stretch. Meredith scored the final two free throws of a personal 8-0 run that put COD to within three points of the lead at 87-84 with 1:05 left.
 
McGinley then hit two free throws with 49 seconds left, and after an Elgin turnover, COD earned possession and McGinley returned to the line again, this time with .9 seconds left.
 
He hit the first, and after Elgin called a timeout, returned to the stripe, drained the shot and COD earned the win.
 
COD shot 28 of 56 from the field and outscored Elgin from the line, 27-4.
 
Moore was the final Chap with double figures at 11.