It was only fitting.

Hosseini had been carrying the load in the second half anyway.

The 6-foot-3 freshman from Toronto came into the game at the Physical Education Complex averaging 3.2 points and seven minutes a game for the 16th-ranked Thunderwolves (22-4, 6-1). But in the span of five minutes, Hosseini scored 16 points to break open a close game and send the host Jayhawks (7-14, 0-7) to their eighth straight loss.

“I just think the energy left us and the focus,” Jamestown CC head coach Xavier Churnac said. “We keep talking about it. We’ve got to put 40 minutes together. Defensively, we stopped executing in the second half.”

Jamestown Community College’s Sheick Kourmora attempts to split a pair of Niagara County CC defenders during Wednesday’s NJCAA Region 3 Division II men’s basketball game at the Physical Education Complex. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

And Hosseini was just getting warmed up.

With Niagara County CC leading, 64-55, he converted a traditional three-point play at the 11:29 mark. Less than 30 seconds later he drilled a 3-pointer and, after a layup by Marcellus Cooper and a trey by David Petit-Homme, Hosseini went crazy, hitting back-to-back shots from the arc, throwing down a dunk and scoring on a putback. His heroics were part of a 23-6 run that sealed the victory for the Thunderwolves and overshadowed what had been an entertaining, competitive game for nearly 30 minutes.

In fact, Jamestown CC, courtesy of six 3-pointers, used a 20-0 run in the first half to lead by as many as 13, but Niagara County CC countered with a 26-11 run to forge a 35-all tie at intermission.

“We got hot and we were playing pretty good good defense,” Churnac said. “I thought our defensive intensity in the first half was great.”

After halftime, though, it was a different story as the Jayhawks saw the Thunderwolves shoot 73 percent from the floor.

“We’ve got to find a way to (play that way) for 40 minutes,” Churnac said. ” … You get rewarded by playing hard.

Jamestown CC’s last lead came at 51-49 following Kyle Butler’s layup with 15:21 remaining, but three turnovers and three misfires on its next six possessions, resulted in a 13-0 Thunderwolves’ run, capped by Cooper’s slam dunk. Armed with a 62-51 with 12:41 left, the visitors didn’t allow the Jayhawks to get closer than 9 points the rest of the way.

Hosseini saw to that.

His play overshadowed a fine game by Jamestown CC’s Sheick Kourmora, who poured in a game-high 29 points and shot 7 of 14 from beyond the arc. But Markus Coleman (10 points) was the only other Jayhawk in double figures. Leading scorer, Jordan Thomas, did not play because of a “program decision,” Churnac said.

Meanwhile, William Kondrat paced Niagara County CC, which shot 24 of 33 in the second half, with 21 points, Petit-Homme had 17, Hosseini added 16 and Cooper finished with 13.

The Jayhawks return to action Saturday when they travel to Mercyhurst North East. Opening tip is at 3 p.m.

“We’ve got to keep grinding,” Churnac said. “There’s no other way.”

NIAGARA COUNTY CC (97)

Scantelbury 3-6 3-3 9, Anderson 3-7 2-2 8, Kondrat 8-12 4-4 21, Petit-Homme 7-9 2-2 17, Pollard 2-6 1-3 6, Hosseini 6-9 1-1 16, Adams 0-3 0-0 0, Cooper 6-9 1-2 13, Capen 2-4 1-3 7, Powell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-65 16-18 97.

JAMESTOWN CC (75)

Butler 4-10 0-0 9, Daniels 4-10 0-0 9, Butler III 2-8 2-2 6, Hougan 3-7 0-0 6, Kenyon 0-3 0-0 0, Guillen 2-5 0-0 6, Kourmora 9-18 4-5 29, Coleman 4-8 0-0 10, Bowmer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-69 6-7 75.

Halftime–Jamestown CC 35 Niagara County CC 35. 3-point goals–Niagara County CC 7-21 (Scantelbury 0-1, Anderson 0-3, Kondrat 1-2, Petit-Homme 1-2, Pollard1-3, Hosseini 3-5, Adams 0-1, Cooper 0-1, Capen 1-3), Jamestown CC 13-36 (Butler 1-4, Daniels 1-5, Butler III 0-2, Hougan 0-1, Kenyon 0-3, Guillen 2-3, Kourmora 7-14, Coleman 2-4). Rebounds–Niagara County CC 42 (Cooper 7), Jamestown CC 21 (Hougan 5). Assists–Niagara County CC 22 (Anderson 7), Jamestown CC 16 (Butler, Daniels 9). Total fouls–Niagara County CC 14, Jamestown CC 13. Technical fouls–Jamestown CC.