Hostos followed up its recent CUNY championship with a 56-53 triumph over host and top-seeded Suffolk-Selden in the NJCAA Region XV Division III championship game. The Caimans now advance to the NJCAA Division III National Tournament, set for March 13-15 at SUNY Delhi.
While Suffolk-Selden was ranked #3 nationally with a 26-3 mark and Hostos entered the weekend seeded #7 in the region with a 13-13 record, a tight, low-scoring contest was not unexpected. Nine of Hostos 13 losses were forfeits due to the use of an ineligible player at the start of the season and the Clippers barely survived a 62-60 battle in the Bronx on 2/7.
Nick Lopez led the winners (now 16-13) with 19 points while Silvo Marfe added 9 points. For Suffolk-Selden, Clarence Alonzo had the high with 15 points, followed by Brice Giles with 10.
Hostos reached the title game with wins over #2 Fashion Institute (62-59) and #6 Rockland (64-58). Suffolk, meanwhile, downed BMCC (80-64) and Nassau (62-51).
In the Region XV Division I championship, Globe Tech built a 31-point margin while coasting to an 88-70 victory over Bronx-Monroe. Both teams already qualified for berths in the NJCAA District 3 Tournament on March 8-9 at Westchester.
Globe (19-8) placed four scorers in double figures: Mike Campbell (24 points with 8 rebounds), Dishawn Bradshaw (17 points, 6 rebounds), Rob Robinson (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Victor Garcia (13 points). Only Lyvann Obame (game-highs of 24 points and 10 boards) was able to reach double digits for Monroe (24-7).
In California, Kevin Menner recorded 33 points and 14 rebounds, and Prince Abidoye added 18 points and 5 assists, as Ventura overcame a 43-30 halftime deficit and outlasted Los Angeles Valley 90-79 in overtime. Abidoye made the games big play, forcing overtime by connecting on an off-balance three-pointer from the left wing with 13.7 seconds left in regulation. Shaun Johnson scored 13 points in the loss for LA Valley. The Pirates (26-6) now move on to the regional final, where they will face Bakersfield (20-14), an 81-73 upset winner over Mt. San Jacinto.
Elsewhere out west, Los Angeles City (25-8) received 24 points (including 9-of-9 free throws) from Scott Sterling in an 81-77 triumph over Riverside. . . Curtis Leslie had 14 points and 8 boards, and Tyief Thompson had 10 points and 3 assists for Glendale (17-16) in a 99-68 defeat by Fullerton.
While Suffolk-Selden was ranked #3 nationally with a 26-3 mark and Hostos entered the weekend seeded #7 in the region with a 13-13 record, a tight, low-scoring contest was not unexpected. Nine of Hostos 13 losses were forfeits due to the use of an ineligible player at the start of the season and the Clippers barely survived a 62-60 battle in the Bronx on 2/7.
Nick Lopez led the winners (now 16-13) with 19 points while Silvo Marfe added 9 points. For Suffolk-Selden, Clarence Alonzo had the high with 15 points, followed by Brice Giles with 10.
Hostos reached the title game with wins over #2 Fashion Institute (62-59) and #6 Rockland (64-58). Suffolk, meanwhile, downed BMCC (80-64) and Nassau (62-51).
In the Region XV Division I championship, Globe Tech built a 31-point margin while coasting to an 88-70 victory over Bronx-Monroe. Both teams already qualified for berths in the NJCAA District 3 Tournament on March 8-9 at Westchester.
Globe (19-8) placed four scorers in double figures: Mike Campbell (24 points with 8 rebounds), Dishawn Bradshaw (17 points, 6 rebounds), Rob Robinson (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Victor Garcia (13 points). Only Lyvann Obame (game-highs of 24 points and 10 boards) was able to reach double digits for Monroe (24-7).
In California, Kevin Menner recorded 33 points and 14 rebounds, and Prince Abidoye added 18 points and 5 assists, as Ventura overcame a 43-30 halftime deficit and outlasted Los Angeles Valley 90-79 in overtime. Abidoye made the games big play, forcing overtime by connecting on an off-balance three-pointer from the left wing with 13.7 seconds left in regulation. Shaun Johnson scored 13 points in the loss for LA Valley. The Pirates (26-6) now move on to the regional final, where they will face Bakersfield (20-14), an 81-73 upset winner over Mt. San Jacinto.
Elsewhere out west, Los Angeles City (25-8) received 24 points (including 9-of-9 free throws) from Scott Sterling in an 81-77 triumph over Riverside. . . Curtis Leslie had 14 points and 8 boards, and Tyief Thompson had 10 points and 3 assists for Glendale (17-16) in a 99-68 defeat by Fullerton.
