Danville, IL – Ancilla College scored a record low 18 points in the first half, but responded with 46 points in the second half to claim a 64-60 victory over Chicago’s Morton College, their first ever victory in the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Division II National Championship. They play the first game on Friday against North Central Missouri College (19-13) at 9 a.m. local time or 10 a.m. eastern. A win here and they play for seventh place at 1 p.m. eastern on Saturday
If something could have gone wrong in the first half, it did. Errant passes, short shots, long shots, everything was amiss in the opening stanza.
Ancilla (23-10) pulled to within three at the 12 minute mark with a couple of threes from Nathan Meriweather and a single three from Jerron Tatum. Mike Green sealed the win at the end with a basket and a free thrown on two trips down the court.
This was a game where everyone had to contribute and many did down the stretch. Ty’Sean helped start the comeback with a couple of early second half baskets and finished with 17 points. Mike Hemingway drilled two threes and scored 12 points and Green finished with 11.
Ancilla 64, Morton 60
At Danville, IL
Morton (60): Tyrone Rhivers 11-17 3-4 26, Edward Clary 3-12 1-1 1, Tom Kedis 107 0-0 3, Tyric Edwards 2-4 0-0 4, Dexter Reed 3-8 2-2 8, Shawn Harlow 3-13 0-0 8, Cawone Hester 0-0 0-0 0, Marcell Winston 1-2 0-0 3. TOTALS 24-63 6-7 60.
ANCILLA (64): Albert Haskins 2-6 1-1 5, Mike Green 3-6 5-8 11, Ty’Sean Sheppard 5-11 4-4 17, Mike Hemingway 5-7 0-0 12, Kyreese Parker 1-1 0-0 3, Jerron Tatum 2-7 2-2 8, Tyrese Walker 0-2 0-0 0, Weston Sage 0-2 0-0 0, Josh Alcindor 0-0 0-0 0, Nathan Meriweather 3-60-0 8. TOTALS: 21-48 12-18 64.
Halftime: Morton 29, Ancilla 18. Three-point baskets: Ancilla 10-25 (Haskins 0-1, Green 0-1, Sheppard 3-7, Hemingway 2-3, Tatum 2-5, Meriwether 2-5,Parker 1-1, Walker 0-2) Morton 6-25 (Rhivers 1-2, Clary 1-5, Kedis 1-5, Marlow 2-11, Winston 1-2). Rebounds: Ancilla 29 9HASKINS 9), Morton 31 (Rhivers, Clary, Edwards 3 each) . Assists: Ancilla 9 (Sheppard 4), Morton 5 (Rhivers 5), Turnovers: Ancilla 17, Morton 9. Fouls (Fouled out): Ancilla 11 (none), Morton 15 (none), Records: Ancilla 23-10, Morton 21-14.