2010 NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Preview

DELHI, NY (03/10/2010)(readMedia)-- The 2010 NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship field has been determined. The tournament, which matches eight teams in a blind draw, will be held in the Floyd L. Maines Arena, Clark Field House, on the SUNY Delhi campus March 11-13. There will be two teams competing for the first time in the national tournament. Among the teams that are returning are the 1991 National Champions, who are making their first trip to the national tournament since winning that championship, the 2000 National Champions, and the 2007 National Champions making their tenth appearance in the past 20 years.

Herkimer County Community College (N.Y.) is making its first appearance in the tournament since 1991 when the Generals won the NJCAA Championship. They come in with an impressive 31-2 mark, including a double overtime win versus rival Mohawk Valley Community College (82-72), winning the Region 3 title and earning a berth in the championship tournament.

The Generals' success is predicated on depth and a stingy defense that leads the nation in scoring average (54 points per game). Coach Matt Lee likes to throw multiple looks and multiple players at his opponents. One of the leaders on defense is sophomore Rhamel Williams who averages 3.5 steals per game. On the other side of the ball, Herkimer looks to 6'6" sophomore forward Akeem Ellis for points (14 per game) and rebounds (10 per game). Sophomore guard Cliff Brown is another major contributor on offense, adding 13 points and 4 assists per contest.

Joliet Junior College (Ill.) earned its berth in the tournament via an 84-70 win over Milwaukee Area Technical College. The Wolves have been to Delhi four times, runners-up in 2005 and 2008. According to Coach Joe Kuhn, Joliet's primary focus is defense and rebounding when the opportunity presents itself. Their size may be a factor-the Wolves field seven players over 6'4".

Leading the Wolves in height is 6'9" freshman center Jon Bartlett, who is averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds per game. The team's high scorer is Brian Bradley, a sophomore guard, who scores at 22.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Another up-tempo team in this year's tournament are the Lions of Mountain View College (Texas). Their aggressive play has led to a team average of 89 points per game. They come into the tournament with a 22-11 record after defeating Eastfield College 94-86. Coach LeRoi C. Phillips, Jr. brings an experienced squad to Delhi in Mountain View's first-ever visit to the tournament. "Our players believe in themselves and their ability to win," said Coach Phillips.

The Lions sport a quartet of players that form the core of their offense. Sophomore guard Kevin Thomas provides 19 points and 3 rebounds per game, while his fellow guard Rashad Sample accounts for 14 points and 7 assists per game. On the inside, Mountain View looks to two 6'4" forwards, Jeffery Ayisirie and Kenny Domouchet, for their combined 24 points and 16 boards per game.

Rochester Community and Technical College (Minn.), led by veteran coach Brian LePlante, fields eight players that average between 9-14 points per game, making it difficult for the opposition to key in on any one player. This offensive depth and balance, coupled with a hard-nosed defense, makes the Yellowjackets a real contender in this their fifth tournament appearance with a 23-5 record. The Yellowjackets secured their berth with a Region 13 victory over Minneapolis Community College (85-74).

Among Rochester's stand-outs are guards Demetrius Williams (14 points, 6 rebounds per game) and Aubrey Rhodes (9 points per game). Rhodes, a freshman, is also shooting an impressive 80 percent from the free-throw line. Other key players include freshman guards David Fritsch, Joe Conway, and Shiron Williams.

Sullivan County Community College (N.Y.) is no stranger to the NJCAA tournament, making its tenth appearance in the past 20 years. The Generals have won the National Championship four times-1992, 1995, 1996, and 2007. They defeated Fashion Institute of Technology 98-81 to earn their berth in the tournament. This year's squad brings an outstanding record to Delhi (31-1), including an undefeated mark in their own division. According to first-year coach Kevin DeVantier, the Generals like to run, using a pressing pressure defense to ignite their offense.

The Generals look to several players to finish. Sophomore guard Moses Dayee is scoring 17 points per game in addition to his 7 assists. While fellow guard Terry Coleman accounts for 16 points and 9 assists per game. The combination of guard Gerarldo Fernandez and 6'4" forward Jason Givens provide Sullivan with nearly 24 points per contest.

The Bulldogs of Bergen Community College, N.J. were a Cinderella story last year when they finished third at the NJCAA tournament. They defeated rival Passaic Community College (97-89) to win the Region 19 Championnship and receive their bid for the tournament. This year, remaining undefeated (32-0), they are coming back a little wiser according to Coach Sean Kelly. "We have a seasoned group in terms of the high level of competition we've played," said Coach Kelly. "And we know what to expect."

The Bulldogs are led by sophomore guard Jimmy Schmitt who is averaging 7 assists per game. Fellow guards David West and Derrick Ross are averaging 18 and 12 points per game respectively. While another guard, freshman Asmar Edwards (12 points per game) is a spark on both ends of the court. Inside, sophomore center Jayvon Beaty gives the Tigers both size and athleticism, contributing 14 points and 9 rebounds per contest. Forward Elgin Brown, who set the NJCAA tournament record with 27 rebounds last year, is back again, putting up 17 points and grabbing 13.5 rebounds per game.

Davidson County Community College (N.C.) won the Region 10 championship by defeating Montgomery College – Germantown 85-83, earning its first-ever NJCAA tournament bid. The Storm only plays eight players, but seven of them are scoring 9 or more points per game. Third-year coach Matt Ridge sees this as an advantage, helping The Storm secure a 21-game winning streak.

Davidson's leading scorer is freshman guard Justin Glover at 19.3 points per game. Another guard, Roderick Geter, is scoring 15 points per game. On the interior, sophomore forward Phillip Williams is putting up 13 points per game and dishing out 5 assists, while fellow forward Kimani Hunt, a freshman, is scoring 13 points per game.

Roxbury Community College (Mass.) brings a talented squad and a 23-3 record into this year's tournament. It took a hard-fought victory (64-63) over a tough Gateway Community College team to earn the Tigers' first berth since 2004. Second-year coach Kwami Green credits Roxbury's success to old-fashioned teamwork. "We're aggressive defenders and work to the best of our ability on offense," said Coach Green.

The Tigers are led by two 20-plus point scorers on offense. Forward Jeffery Cannon has 1,000 points in just two years of college basketball and is averaging 26 points per game, while teammate Ravon Dunbar, a freshman guard, is scoring at 24 points per game. Dunbar is the most all-rounded player on the Roxbury team according to his coach. Darnell Martin, a sophomore forward who was named the regional tournament MVP, is contributing 14 points per game while at the same time grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking 6 shots a game. Finally, the player Coach Green says really makes the Tigers go, sophomore guard Paris Amado, is leading the nation in assists.

For tournament updates, visit the SUNY Delhi site at www.championships-delhi.org and the NJCAA website at www.njcaa.org.