Generals, Hawks earn spots in NJCAA basketball semifinals
HERKIMER -- The two teams playing closest to home advanced to the NJCAA's Division III men's basketball semifinals with wins Thursday at Herkimer College.
Herkimer, the host school and the runner-up at last year's tournament, and Mohawk Valley Community College, Herkimer's Utica neighbor and the top remaining seed, play again Friday against Dallas College-Richland and the Minnesota State Community and Technical College, respectively.
Mohawk Valley (27-1) beat New Jersey's Salem Community College (24-8) 71-49. The Hawks are the top remaining at No. 2 after No. 1 Dutchess Community College (26-2), another New Jersey school, was beaten 67-60 by No. 9 Richland (22-11) in Thursday's opener.
Herkimer (25-4), seeded fifth and a 75-72 quarterfinal winner over No. 4 Sandhills Community College (27-7), plays Richland in Friday's first semifinal at 5 p.m.
Mohawk Valley plays No. 3 Minnesota State Community and Technical College (30-2) at 7 p.m.
Herkimer College 75, Sandhills CC 72
Herkimer College trailed though most of Thursday's quarterfinal but took the lead in the final three minutes and outscored Sandhills Community College 16-10 down the stretch of a meeting of the 2019 and 2020 national champions.
Herkimer's Generals trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, and cut the deficit from eight points to five with an Oladele Oladitan three-pointer as time expired.
Sandhills maintained its lead late into the second half with Herkmer finally catching up at 57 on a basket and free throw by Oladitan.
Oladitan would eventually foul out, but not before contributing 23 points and five rebounds n his return to action after sitting out Wednesday's 81-71 win over Dallas College-Mountain View after he was assessed two technical fouls in the Region III championship game loss to Mohawk Valley Community College.
The Generals would tie the game again at 59 and 62, and finally take a 64-62 lead on a driving basket by Jayson McGhee with 2:44 on the clock. Salem led for the last time at 65-64; McGhee responded with a basket and a free throw, then hit a three-point shot following two Salem free throws.
The largest Herkimer lead was 73-69 with 31 seconds left to play. Salem got back to within one points before McGhee delivered the game's final foul shots.
McGhee, an all-star selection at last year's national tournament, led Herkimer with 28 points Thursday with 17 in the second half and 12 in the last three minutes.
Kenny Freeman added seven points and 13 rebounds for Herkimer, and Xavier Cardona scored eight points off the bench.
Damien Robinson led Sandhills with 15 points.
Mohawk Valley CC 71, Salem CC 49
The Mohawk Valley Community College Hawks won their first game at the NJCAA's Division III national tournament and the once-beaten No. 2 is the top seed moving on to Friday's semifinals.
The Hawks led by as many as 20 points in the first half at Herkimer College on the way to a 71-49 victory over Salem Community College.
Andre Pasha had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and led four double-digit scorers for the Hawks. Jalen Bradberry scored 14 points, Alex Barnhill had 13 with nine rebounds, and Isaiah Earl had 10 points and six rebounds in the team's eighth consecutive victory.
Akeem Taylor scored 23 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals for Salem.
MARCH 12 FIRST ROUND
- No. 5 Herkimer College 81, No. 12 Dallas College-Mountain View 71
- No. 6 Union College 76, No. 11 Genesee Community College 66
- No. 10 Salem Community College 72, No. 7 Riverland Community College 67
- No. 9 Dallas College-Richland 73, No. 8 Northern Essex Community College 68
MARCH 13 QUARTERFINALS
- No. 9 Dallas College-Richland 67, No. 1 Dutchess Community College 60
- No. 2 Mohawk Valley Community College 71, No. 10 Salem Community College 49
- No. 3 Minnesota State Community and Technical College 78, No. 6 Union College 58
- No. 5 Herkimer College 75, No. 4 Sandhills Community College 72
MARCH 13 CONSOLATIONS
- No. 7 Riverland Community College 74, No. 11 Genesee Community College 70
- No. 8 Northern Essex Community College 107, No. 12 Dallas College-Mountain View 99
MARCH 14 SEMIFINALS
- No. 9 Dallas College-Richland (22-11) vs. No. 5 Herkimer College (25-4), 5 p.m.
- No. 2 Mohawk Valley Community College (27-1) vs. No. 3 Minnesota State Community and Technical College (30-2), 7 p.m.
MARCH 14 CONSOLATIONS
- No. 1 Dutchess Community College (26-2) vs. No. 4 Sandhills Community College (27-7), noon
- No. 10 Salem Community College (24-8) vs. No. 6 Union College (24-5), 2 p.m.
MARCH 15 FINAL
- Richland/Herkimer winner vs. Mohawk Valley/Minnesota State winner, 5 p.m.
MARCH 15 THIRD PLACE
- Richland/Herkimer loser vs. Mohawk Valley/Minnesota State loser, 2 p.m.
MARCH 15 FIFTH PLACE
- Dutchess/Sandhills winner vs. Salem/Union winner, noon
all games played at Herkmer College
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Semifinals set at NJCAA basketball tournament
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