It's Herkimer vs. Mohawk Valley for JuCo national championship

[ASFN Admin]

HERKIMER – One game featured a team overcoming a dreadfully slow start, the other came down to a last-second shot, and the locals in the crowd at Herkimer College got what they were cheering for from the semifinals of the NJCAA's Division III men's basketball semifinals.

Herkimer's Generals and Mohawk Valley Community College's Hawks will square off for the fourth time this season in Saturday's 5 p.m. championship game.

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More: Generals, Hawks earn spots in NJCAA basketball semifinals

More: Herkimer wins as host on first day of NJCAA's Division III national basketball tournament

Herkimer (26-4), seeded fifth, came back from a 19-point first half – less than a point-per-minute pace – and defeated Dallas College-Richland 72-59 in the first semifinal.

That game ended with fans chanting, "We want Mohawk!" and the Hawks (28-1), seeded second, delivered a 92-90 win over the Minnesota State Community and Technical College in the nightcap.

Mohawk Valley beat Herkimer 67-54 on the same court in the Region III championship game two weeks ago. The Hawks also suffered their only loss of the season at Herkimer, a 77-66 Feb. 8 regular season decision. Mohawk Valley also beat Hekimer 72-65 at home in Utica back in November.

Herkimer, the 2019 national champion, is back in the title game following a 74-61 loss to Dallas College-North Lake last year. Mohawk Valley was a 2020 finalist.

By getting to the semifinals, Herkimer had already clinched a ninth top four finish. Friday's win puts the Generals, also 1991 champions, in a fourth title game.

Mohawk Valley CC 92, Minnesota State Community and Technical College 90​

Mohawk Valley Community College's Hawks and the Minnesota State Community and Technical College's Spartans went back-and-forth from start to finish Friday. Mohawk Valley led by one point at halftime and won 92-90 on a Jamir Smith jumper with one second on the clock.

Smith led the Hawks with 24 points while Jalen Bradberry scored 23 and Isaiah Earl had 21. Mason Muir, Foday Sheriff and Yonis Mohamud countered with 28, 25 and 20 for Minnesota State.

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The score was 47-46 at halftime, and Mohawk Valley outscored Minnesota State 45-44 after the break.

Minnesota State had last led at 64-63 midway through the second half before free throws by Sheriff and Muir pulled the Spartans even at 88. Two more foul shots by Braylon Baldwin gave the third seed a 90-88 lead with a minute to go, but Andre Pasha hit two for Mohawk Valley and tied the score 11 seconds later.

Muir drove to the basket and missed a layup that Pasha rebounded.

The Hawks opted not to call a timeout in the final 24 seconds and instead ran the clock down ahead of Smith's jumper from the right elbow.

Minnesota State threw long on its final inbounding play and was unable to control the ball and get a shot off.

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Pasha had 10 points and eight rebounds, Alex Barnhill had seven and eight, while Earl had a team-high nine rebounds.

Sheriff had nine rebounds for Minnesota State.

Herkimer College 72, Dallas College-Richland 59​

The Herkimer College Generals trailed 22-19 at the end of a sluggish offensive first half. Jayson McGhee started the second half with back-to-back three-pointers, giving the Generals their initial lead and sparking a stretch that would produce 53 points and a 72-59 victory on their home court.

Playing against a Dallas College-Richland squad with a No. 9 seed and a name more familiar to Herkimer soccer fans, the Generals got 21 of McGhee's 25 points in the second half; McGhee also grabbed eight rebounds, and he five threes after halftime.

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Oladele Oladitan added 20 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots, and the Generals took control of the game with 13 straight points in the second half, swinging the score from a 28-25 deficit to a 38-28 lead.

Richland's Thunderducks (22-12) got back within three points but were unable to pull even. Barack Holland led Richland with 12 points.

Jayden Norris scored 13 points and Kenny Freeman had 12 for Herkimer.

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. 5 Herkimer College 72, No. 9 Dallas College-Richland 59
• No. 2 Mohawk Valley Community College 92, No. 3 Minnesota State Community and Technical College 90

MARCH 14 CONSOLATIONS​

• No. 4 Sandhills Community College 78, No. 1 Dutchess Community College 77
• No. 10 Salem Community College 72, No. 6 Union College 65

MARCH 15 CHAMPIONSHIP​

• No. 5 Herkimer College (26-4) vs. No. 2 Mohawk Valley Community College (28-1), 5 p.m.

MARCH 15 THIRD PLACE​

• No. 9 Dallas College-Richland (22-12) vs. No. 3 Minnesota State Community and Technical College (30-3), 2 p.m.

MARCH 15 FIFTH PLACE​

• No. 4 Sandhills Community College (28-7) vs. No. 10 Salem Community College (25-8), noon

all games played at Herkmer College

This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Herkimer College, Mohawk Valley CC to meet in NJCAA championship game

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