March 22, 2008 – 6:00 p.m.
NJCAA National Tournament – 3rd/4th Place Game
Seward County (31-6) vs. No. 19 Three Rivers (29-7)
@ Hutchinson, Kansas – Hutchinson Sports Arena
COMPLETE GAME NOTES
GAME NOTES >>
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Bryan Zollinger
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Seward County had its run for a NJCAA National Championship come to an end on Friday night with a 65-77 loss to South Plains College. The Saints will move forward and play in the 3rd/4th place game on Saturday, facing No. 19 Three Rivers Community College. With a victory, the Saints will equal the program’s all-time best finish at the NJCAA Tournament (3rd - 1998), and this year’s team will tie the second most wins ever in a single-season (32 - 1994-1995). Sophomore Darko Cohadarevic will play his final game in a Saints’ uniform on Saturday night. The 6-foot-8 Serbian is averaging 17.7 points per game in the NJCAA Tournament, where he has also shot 54 percent (7-of-13) from 3-point range. Cohadarevic and 6-foot-0 freshman Reggie Chamberlain (21.0 ppg., 26-of-27 free throws in NJCAA Tournament) are both strong candidates for NJCAA All-Tournament recognition.
The Saints had their 11 game winning-streak come to an end, with only their second loss in their last 20 games. Seward County will face a familiar opponent verses Three Rivers C.C. The Saints faced the Raiders in the 1995 NJCAA Tournament, where Three Rivers advanced in loser’s bracket play with a 92-91 victory on March 18, 1995. Seward County is now 6-5 all-time in NJCAA Tournament play.
Three Rivers’ head coach Gene Bess is the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history with an all-time 1,057-277 (.792) record in 38 seasons as head coach. He has led the Three Rivers program to 15 NJCAA Tournament appearances, where they have a 37-21 overall record and have placed in the top four during seven trips to the national tournament. Bess’ 2008 squad is once again balanced with all five starters averaging in double-figure scoring, and with five players having all made at least 22 3-pointers. The Raiders, like the Saints, won their opening two games in the NJCAA tourney, with victories over Eastern Wyoming (83-70) and Eastern Arizona (75-73). TRCC currently leads the nation in team free throw shooting (.791), and they hold their opponents to a miniscule .299 from long range.
NOTES FROM PREVIOUS GAME (vs. South Plains - NJCAA Tournament Semifinals) >>
Darko Cohadarevic led the Saints with 21 points and seven rebounds.
South Plains committed only eight turnovers, which is the lowest total for any Saints’ opponent this season.
Reggie Chamberlain posted a team-high six assists, and he scored 18 points with four 3-pointers.
Saints tied a season-low shooting .500 (6-of-12) from the free throw line.
