Thursday, March 15, 2012

Raiders win - first game is today at 1 p.m.

Gametime today is 1 p.m. CDT: CLC vs. SUNY-Delhi, NJCAA championship basketball tournament.
http://www.ihigh.com/njcaatv/ live video coverage
http://www.championships-sullivan.com/ tournament website for brackets etc.

The CLC men's basketball team captured the 2012 Region 13 championship (and state tournament title), 84-66, over M State (Fergus Falls) today. The Raiders earned a berth in the NJCAA Division III tournament March 15-17 at Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. It will be their second trip to the Elite Eight in five years. The winners survived the Spartans' hot outside shooting in the first 20 minutes, leading 42-41 halfway. Before the whistles put the skids on the high-flying Raiders, they were on top, 21-7, eight minutes into the game. Fergus went to the line 26 times to 12 for CLC. Ronnie Kornbaum again showed his leadership and shooting touch, including the last seven minutes when he drained a pair of three-point shots that helped CLC open up a 73-58 lead with six minutes left. Ronnie led the scoring with 24 points. Kwamaine Johnson (20 pts.) near the finish soared to the hoop for a bucket - and one  - to ice the win with 2:40 to go and a 80-64 lead. Jesse Fleming (shown) added 12 points, 10 in the first half. Kwamaine, Maurice Hernandez (14 pts.), and Michael Farrington were all named to the Tournament Team as well as All-Division and All-State first teams announced at the end of the three-day event in Coon Rapids. Mo was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Coach Jim Russell is the 2012 Coach of the Year for the MCAC and Region 13 by virtue of the championship that gives the Raiders a 27-3 record. M State finished at 19-11.