|
Texans capture first NJCAA Championship in school history
by Cody Barron, staff writer
After a season that included plenty of ups and downs, the
South Plains College men’s basketball team is the National
Junior College Athletic Association champions.
The Texans captured their first
national title by defeating Salt Lake Community College
67-56 on March 22 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in
Hutchinson, Kan.
The Texans began the season with 16
consecutive victories, but lost four of their last seven
regular season games. However, SPC was able to put together
eight consecutive wins, including four wins in four days to
close out the season.
“This championship is extra special to
us as a team,” said assistant coach Clif Carroll. “Not only
is it the first for the men’s basketball program, but it
came during SPC’s 50 year anniversary. We have had great
support from our fans, students and community.”
Carroll was a member of the 2002 Texan
basketball team that reached the NJCAA national tournament
for the first time under Green.
In the championship game, SPC missed
their first eight shots, including 17 of their first 19,
while SLCC jumped out to an early 8-0 lead. It grew to 17-4
with a little more than eight minutes to play in the first
half.
“At that point, I knew we really needed
a bucket,” said Carroll.
The Texans finally got into their
rhythm offensively from there and finished the half on a
20-5 run, including a 3-pointer from David Tairu with nine
seconds remaining to give them a 24-22 halftime lead.
SPC would see their lead cut down to
one, 36-35, early in the second half, but regrouped for an
11-0 run to secure the lead for the rest of the game. The
Texans led by as many as 24 at one point in the second half.
Nick Okorie led the way for SPC with 29
points, followed by 14 points from David Tairu. Jonathan
Hall, the Tournament MVP, finished with 13 points.
On March 21, the Texans advanced to the
national championship game by defeating Seward County 77-65
in a semi-final contest.
SPC hit six 3-pointers in the first
half and led 32-24 at the half. The Saints would get within
one, 45-44, with 13:11 remaining in the second half, but a
15-1 Texan run would be too much for Seward to overcome.
Hall led all scorers with 24 points.
Luciano de Souza poured in 21 points, while Tairu chipped in
16 points.
On March 20, SPC moved into the
national semifinals with a 66-61 win over Indian Hills
Community College.
The Warriors led most of the first
half, but the Texans stormed back to take the lead at
halftime, 23-22. The Texans exploded out of the gate in the
second half, leading 46-26 with a little more than 12
minutes remaining. Despite a late run by the Warriors, SPC
used strong free throw shooting down the stretch to seal the
victory.
Hall led the Texans with 21 points and
11 rebounds, while Okorie dropped in 18 points and de Souza
added 10 points.
In their opening game, the Texans had
five players score in double figures, to defeat Georgia
Perimeter College, 88-83, on March 19. The victory boosted
SPC into the quarterfinals of the national tournament.
The Texans built a 21-point lead in the
first half, 41-20, but GPC rallied to cut the lead to 11,
44-33, by halftime. The game was tied at 59 with under nine
minutes remaining, but SPC used strong free throw shooting
down the stretch to seal the win.
Carlos dos Santos led SPC with 19
points. Okorie scored 18 points, while Hall put in 17
points, de Souza had 16 points and Tairu finished with 11
points.
At the NJCAA Region V Tournament, SPC
defeated Howard College 80-72 in the championship game on
March 9.
The Texans defeated Midland, 80-72, in
the semifinals and defeated Weatherford 92-87 in the opening
round of the tourney, which was held March 6-March 9 in
Belton
.
*Photos Courtesy of Darin Allred/SPC
Sports Information Coordinator | 