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Eastfield basketball falls short in NJCAA national championship game
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
The red-hot shooting touch that had helped Eastfield College earn a shot at a national championship left them at the most inopportune time on Saturday.
The high-scoring Harvesters never quite could get untracked in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III national title game and that allowed Brookdale (N.J.) CC to hold on for a 61-55 victory at Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.
Eastfield (29-5), on a quest for its first national championship since 1997, had shot better than 50 percent overall and from 3-point range in its quarterfinal and semifinal victories the previous two days, but could not summon the same shooting magic.
Despite those shooting woes, the Eastfield defense kept them in it and they took a 23-21 lead into halftime.
But Brookdale (33-1) got going in the second half, at one point opening a double-digit lead. The Harvesters made a run to get to within striking distance, and with the help of some missed Brookdale free throws, they had several chances in the final two minutes to draw closer, but the shots simply would not fall.
Semar Farris had 13 points, Mike Love scored 11 and Andrew Maxie tallied eight points and 11 rebounds for Eastfield.
It was a tough way to end a season-long journey that included a Metro Athletic Conference championship, the Region 5 title and two impressive wins at the national tournament on Thursday and Friday.
Eastifled had opened the national championship tournament with a dramatic 101-98 overtime victory over Caldwell (N.C.) CC on Thursday.
The Harvesters trailed by nine at halftime, but behind 53.8 percent shooting from the field, including 11-of-20 on treys, they not only battled back to tie the game at 87-87 at the end of regulation, but outscored Caldwell 14-11 in the extra frame.
Love had a huge game, hitting 12-of-18 from the floor as part of a 31-point effort. Farris scored 21 points while Brock Hunter had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Eastfield followed with a dominant performance on Friday, as it rolled over MassBay (Mass.) CC in a 91-65 rout.
The Harvesters led 38-30 at halftime, but stepped on the gas in the second half with 53 points and MassBay was unable to keep up.
Hunter hit 11 of his 13 attempts from the floor, including all four from behind the arc, as he finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Farris had 18 points, seven assists and four steals, while Love chipped in with 13 to send Eastfield on to the national championship game.
Follow Devin Hasson on Twitter: @DevinHasson
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