Day Four 3/9/08
MORRISTOWN, Tennessee – In the Men's TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Championship Game, tournament MVP A.J. Thomas led four Senators in double figures with 19 points in defeating Motlow State, 61-57. The victory was also the 900th win in the coaching career of Bill Carlyle.
Sophomore forward Sirlester Martin, who was named to the all-tournament team, chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds for Walters State, now an impressive 31-1 on the season. Freshman forward Laquantis Stewart scored 13 points while sophomore guard Terrance Britt netted 11.
Demarco Stepter led the Bucks (28-5) with 17 points and 15 rebounds while the Eastern Division’s MVP, Tyree Evans was held to just 11 points on 4-of-20 shooting.
The Senators will compete in the national tournament in Hutchinson (Ks.) beginning March 18.
Day Three 3/8/08
MORRISTOWN, Tennessee - Walters State (30-1) used a career-best performance from freshman guard A.J. Thomas to eliminate Southwest Tennessee, 85-71, Saturday afternoon in ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium on the campus of Walters State.
Walters State meets Motlow State, a 71-50 winner over Cleveland State, at 2 p.m. for a berth in the NJCAA national tournament in Hutchinson (Ks.) beginning March 18.
Thomas, a Memphis native, lit up his hometown team for a career-high 35 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field, including a sizzling 7-of-9 from 3-point distance. He was 10-of-11 from the foul line.
Thomas received solid support from his backcourt mate Terrance Britt. The sophomore point guard tallied 13 points, eight assists and four steals. Freshman forward Laquantis Stewart scored 11 points while sophomore forward Sirlester Martin pulled down 13 rebounds (six offensive).
Dominique Johnson fired in 23 points for Southwest (14-14). Leon Martin finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds while DeAngelo Riley chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds.
Motlow State 71, Cleveland State 50
The Bucks (28-4) used a stellar performance from Cliff Dixon in reaching the finals.
Dixon finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots as Motlow State outscored the Cougars, 41-19, in the second half after trailing 31-30 at the half.
Tyree Evans chipped in 16 points for the winners, Anthony Sally netted 11 points while Demarco Stepter raked down 11 rebounds. For the game, the Bucks won the battle of the boards, 52-26.
For Cleveland State, who finished its season with a 16-14 worksheet, Tray Okoth tossed in 16 points while Ernest Saunders had 13.
Day Two 3/6/08
MORRISTOWN, Tennessee – The first upset in the men’s TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII tournament occurred in the first game Thursday afternoon at ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium on the campus of Walters State Community College.
The No. 4 seed from the Eastern Division, Cleveland State stormed out to a 39-21 advantage and withstood a late charge from the top seed from the Western Division Saint Catharine to record a 65-54 victory in the quarterfinal round.
The Cougars (16-13 got a second straight stellar performance from Tray Okoth in the victory. After scoring 22 points against Volunteer State Tuesday, Okoth tallied 25 points, including going 11-of-12 from the charity stripe.
Clarence Threat chipped in 12 points for the winners while Ernest Saunders had 11.
For the Patriots (22-7), Jeremy Jones and Arthur Latham each fired in 16 points.
In the second game of the day, Simmons (Ky.) College’s surprising run in the tournament came to an end as Motlow State posted a 69-56 victory.
The Bucks (27-4) were led in scoring by the Eastern Division’s MVP Tyree Evans, who tossed in 20 points. Cliff Dixon chipped in 14 while Frank Henry-Ala scored 11. Demarco Stepter raked down 11 rebounds.
DeShawn Pendleton paced the Panthers (26-6) with 13 points while Darryl Bell netted 11. Anthony Milan grabbed nine rebounds to lead Simmons.
Walters State, the top-seeded men’s team out of the Eastern Division overcame a slow start to bounce Columbia State from the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII tournament Thursday night, 81-58, at ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium on the campus of Walters State Community College.
With the victory, the Senators pushed their season worksheet to 29-1 while the Chargers finished with season with a 9-20 record.
Walters State led 35-28 at intermission before outscoring Columbia State, 46-30, in the final 20 minutes to advance to Saturday’s semifinals.
Two Senators recorded double-doubles in the win. Freshman Michael Jenkins tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds while sophomore Sirlester Martin finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Freshman guard A.J. Thomas led the team in scoring with 17 points while sophomores Freeman Pinkney and Terrance Britt each scored 10.
For the Chargers, Marrio Hunter and Jaffarious Wade each had 13 points while Derek Sain pulled down 11 rebounds.
The nightcap saw Southwest Tennessee rally from a seven-point halftime deficit to eliminate Chattanooga State, 93-90.
Southwest (14-13) had five players in double figures, led by A.J. Nance with 19 points. Jeremy Rodgers chipped in 15, Dominique Johnson scored 12 while Emmanuel Childers and Leon Martin netted 11 apiece. DeAngelo Riley raked down 11 rebounds.
Chattanooga’s Greg Brown connected on seven 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 30 points. Antonio Reese added 14 points, Jordan Lee had 12 while Dominique Rouse scored 11.
Saturday’s semifinals begin at 2 p.m. with Cleveland State and Motlow State followed by Walters State and Southwest at 4 p.m.
Day One 3/4/08
MORRISTOWN, Tennessee – The first two men’s games Tuesday in the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII tournament at ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium on the campus of Walters State Community College provided the fans in attendance a high dose of quality basketball.
In the first game of the day, Cleveland State jumped out to a 37-28 halftime lead and held off a late charge by Volunteer State to secure a 66-63 victory. The second game saw Simmons College out of Louisville (Ky.) stormed back from a 38-23 halftime deficit to eliminate Jackson State, 80-68.
The opener saw the Cougars (15-13) use the one-two punch of Tray Okoth (22 points) and Dario Pratt (21 points, six 3-pointers) to knock out the Pioneers. Sean Bridges added 11 points in the win.
Former Knox Central standout Justin Wilson and Brandon McGill tallied 18 and 13 points, respectively, for Volunteer State (9-18) while Lucas Jones netted 15.
In the second game, the Panthers (26-5) erupted for 57 points in the final 20 minutes of action to race back from their double-digit halftime deficit.
Darryl Bell gunned in a game-high 24 points, 18 in the second half, for Simmons. Anthony Milan chipped in 20 points while Tyrell Hursey finished with 11.
The Generals, who finished the season at 15-10, received 20 points from Mike Williams, 18 from Tristan Carter and 15 from Stanley McNeil. All of McNeil’s points came on 3-point shots.
The men’s evening session Tuesday night produced one close game and one not-so-close.
In the first game, Columbia State had to battle down to the wire before disposing of Hiwassee, 77-73, at ‘Z” Buda Gymnasium. The second game saw Chattanooga State run-and-gun its way to an 110-75 triumph over Dyersburg State.
The opener saw the Chargers (9-19) grab an early lead and hold off several comeback attempts by the Tigers (17-12) in order to earn a meeting with Walters State Thursday at 6 p.m.
Marrio Hunter fired in 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Columbia State. Dontavious Merriweather also had 19 points while Britton Winfree finished with 14. Derek Sain tied Hunter for rebounding honors wit nine.
In the loss, Hiwassee’s Carl Taylor drained seven 3-pointers and tallied a game-high 25 points. Joshua Noffiett recorded a double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds while Alex Goldston scored 13 points.
The second game saw Chattanooga (14-7) used a balanced scoring attack as six players reached double figures in the victory.
Jordan Lee paced the Tigers with 24 points. Brandon Moon scored 16 points, Greg Brown tossed in 15, Andrew Woods and Antonio Reese each had 13 while Johnathan Martin had 10.
Freeman Sherman gunned in 21 points for the Eagles (5-21). Tyrus Mann finished with 16 points, George Coleman added 15 while Jerome Ellington had 10.
When the men return to the court Thursday, St. Catharine squares off with Cleveland State at 2 p.m. followed by Motlow State and Simmons at 4 p.m. The 6 p.m. contest features Walters State and Columbia State while Chattanooga State and Southwest Tennessee close out the night at 8 p.m.
Play-In Game 3/3/08
MORRISTOWN, Tennessee – The Simmons College Panthers, an invitee into the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII tournament, netted a 74-63 victory over Roane State Monday in the play-in game held at Walters State’s ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium.
The victory puts the Panthers at 25-6 on the season and earned them a 4 p.m. game Tuesday against Jackson State. The Raiders complete the 2007-08 season with an 8-22 worksheet.
Simmons was led in scoring by DeShawn Pendleton, who hit five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points. Daryl Bell connected on four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, Anthony Milan tallied 14 points while Alonzo Brown scored 10.
Adareus Dixon gunned in 20 points for the Raiders while Ben Sneed added 17.
Tuesday’s games begin at 2 p.m. with four men’s contests on the docket. At 2 p.m., Volunteer State and Cleveland State lock horns followed by Jackson State and Simmons. The 6 p.m. game features Columbia State and Hiwassee while the 8 p.m. game has Dyersburg State and Chattanooga State taking the court.