SPRINGFIELD — Danville Area Community College will host the NJCAA Division II National Tournament for the 29th time beginning on March 15 but the host Jaguars had their hopes for playing in the tournament dashed on Saturday.
The John Wood Community College Trail Blazers advanced into the championship game of the NJCAA Region 24 Tournament with a 51-50 victory over Jaguars.
Brandon Knacht of the Trail Blazers made two free throws with 8 seconds left to give John Wood the 1-point lead and eventually the victory when DACC missed their final shot at the buzzer.
Stephen Atkinson had a game-high 13 points for the Jaguars, who finish the year at 18-7, while Ahmoni Weston chipped in with 12. Atkinson also finished with a team-high 10 rebounds.
Gabe Cox and Garrett Snow were the leading scorers for John Wood with 9 points each.
In the other semifinal contest, Parkland defeated Rend Lake 61-60. The Cobras were led by Savon Wykle, Kieon Gill and Jordan Jenkins, each with 10 points.
Parkland beat John Wood 80-75 in the title game on Sunday as Wykle had 21 points, six rebounds and four assists, Daniel Reed had 18 points, Josh River had 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals and Marcus Johnson had 11 points and five rebounds.
The Cobras will return to the NJCAA Division II Tournament for the second time in three years.
Colorado St. 71, Boise St. 68
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Danville native Kendle Moore had 19 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists as the Rams won their final home game of the season on Saturday.
Colorado State ends the regular season with a 24-4 record and a 14-4 mark in the Mountain West and will start tournament play on Thursday against either Utah State or Air Force.
North Dakota St. 82, Denver 62
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Danville native Tevin Smith had 10 points with three rebounds and two assists, but the Pioneers lost in the Summit League quarterfinals.
Denver ends its season at 11-21.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Lincoln Land 72, DACC 70
QUINCY — The Lady Loggers survived a frantic fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Lady Jaguars in a Region 24 semifinal at John Wood Community College.
Danville Area Community College, which ends its season with a 13-15 record, overcame a 12-point deficit to take a 68-66 lead with less than 2 minutes remaining but Lincoln Land, rated No. 4 the NJCAA Division II Poll, took the lead for good on an offensive rebound basket by Colby Burt in the final minute.
It’s the third time that the Loggers defeated the Jaguars this season to go along with a 73-66 triumph on Jan. 26 and an 75-66 win in overtime on Feb. 16.
“Every time we play Danville, it’s a battle,” said Lincoln Land coach Chad Jones on the school’s official web site.
Lincoln Land lost to Illinois Central College 76-69 on Sunday. The Cougars will go on to the NJCAA Division II Tournament in Port Huron, Mich.
Mercer 73, Furman 54
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — In her first year in college, Danville High grad Erin Houpt is going to the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
Houpt and the Bears beat Furman 73-54 on Sunday to win the Southern Conference Tournament at Harrah’s Cherokee Center.
Houpt had 12 points with five rebounds and two assists for Mercer, who was down 25-24 at halftime, but outscored Furman 30-4 in the third quarter to put the game away.
With the win, the Bears are 23-6 and have won their fourth title in five years. They will await their first round opponent in the tournament when the NCAA bracket will be revealed on March 13.
Notre Dame falls in semis
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Irish beat Georgia Tech 71-53 on Friday, but lost to Miami 57-54 on Saturday in the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Schlarman Academy grad Anaya Peoples had one rebound in the win against Georgia Tech and had five points and two steals against Miami, who would lose to N.C. State in Sunday’s Championship game.
The Irish are 22-8 and will await who they will face in the NCAA Women’s Tournament.
IUPUI 86, Oakland 63
INDIANAPOLIS — Fountain Central grad Macee Williams had 27 points with 15 rebounds as the Jaguars cruised in a Horizon League semifinal.
Schlarman Academy grad Sydney Gouard had six points with three rebounds for Oakland, who ends the season at 15-15.
IUPUI is 23-4 and will face Cleveland State today in the Horizon League title game. The game will be shown on ESPNU.
Seattle 57, Chicago State 54
CHICAGO — Schlarman Academy grad Janiah Newell had four points with three steals, but the Cougars lost their season finale to Seattle on Saturday.
Chicago State ends the season at 4-23 and 3-15 in the WAC.
PREP TRACK
Mojonnier wins at invite
CHARLESTON — Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin’s Eli Mojonnier won the 800 meter race on Saturday with a time of 2 minutes, 2.40 seconds at the EIU Indoor Invitational.
Mojonnier also took third in the 1,600 meters (4:42.87) while teammate Emerson Thorlton was 10th (4:55.17).
In the girls meet, Schlarman Academy’s Mia Martinez was fourth in the triple jump (9.43 meters) and 10th in the long jump (4.32) and Oakwood’s Allie Morris was ninth in the 1,600 run (5:51.47).
Salt Fork competes at Cogdal Invite
NORMAL — The Salt Fork boys and girls teams participated in the Cogdal Invite on Saturday at Illinois State University.
In the girls meet, Brynlee Keeran won the pole vault (3.40 meters) and long jump (4.85) for the Storm, while Olivia Birge won in shot put (11.28 meters), Shelby McGee was second in the triple jump (9.76) and third in the 60 hurdles (10.22), Macie Russell was second in the 800 (2:30.98), Alexa Jamison was eighth in the 60 dash (8.52) and Keeran was fourth in the 60 hurdles (10.29).
In the boys meet, Garrett Taylor won in shot put (15.26) for Salt Fork, while Nathan Kirby was third in hurdles (8.63), Ethan McLain was fifth in the 60 dash (7.35) and seventh in the long jump (5.72), Brysen Vasquez was sixth in the 400 (55.77) and Dylan Diaz was sixth in triple jump (12.09). The 800 relay team of McLain, Kirby, Diaz and Vasquez took second at 1:37.20.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
DACC starts spring trip
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The Jaguars got going on their annual spring trip on Sunday.
Danville Area Community College started the day with a 7-2 win over Penn State-Dubois. Noah Laurent had a two-run home run and four RBIs, while Dustin Dupont and Jackson Micheels each hit solo home runs and Luke Olson had eight strikeouts on the mound.
In the second game on Sunday, the Jaguars were tied 5-5 going into the seventh with Mid-Michigan College, but Mid-Michigan scored 10 runs in the seventh for a 15-7 win. Micheels had three hits with a home run and three RBIs while Jacob Mote had two hits and three RBIs.
On Monday, the Jaguars beat Penn State Hazelton 14-11 as Angel Lobo had two home runs with five RBIs, while Kyle Bartman had two hits with a home run and three RBIs, Isaiah Ruch had a two-run home run, Dupont had three hits and a RBI, Jacob Spear had two hits and a RBI and Jaden Miller hit a solo home run.
After playing Penn State-Hazelton again on Monday night, the Jaguars will face Northhampton Community College today.
SPHL HOCKEY
Bobcats 0-3 for weekend
DANVILLE — The Vermilion County Bobcats could not get a win this weekend, losing 2-0 on Friday to the Evansville Thunderbolts and to the Huntsville Havoc 5-1 on Saturday and 3-1 on Sunday.
In Saturday’s game, Hunter Atchison had the lone goal for Vermilion County while Mitch Atkins had a assist and Chase Perry had 36 saves.
Houston Wilson scored the only goal for the Bobcats in Sunday’s game, while Perry had 30 saves.
The Bobcats stay at the David S. Palmer Arena on Wednesday, when they will face the Peoria Rivermen at 7 p.m.
