NICEVILLE, Fla. (March 5, 2022) - No. 2 seed Chipola College claimed the FCSAA State/NJCAA South Atlantic District Championship with a 73-64 win over top-seed Indian River State College.

With the win, Chipola (28-5) punched its ticket to the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in Hutchinson, Kan. 

Indian River State (28-4), who finished the regular season with a No. 2 NJCAA ranking, will hope for an at-large bid when the 24-team national tournament field is announced on Sunday. 

Saturday was a rematch of the 2021 championship game, also won by Chipola. The Indians later knocked Indian River State out of the 2021 NJCAA Tournament in the quarterfinals. 

Indian River State led 36-33 at the intermission on Saturday, but Chipola opened the second half of a 10-0 run to seize control. Achor Achor converted an offensive rebound to put the Indians in front, 37-36, with 18:59 left in the game, and they never trailed again. 

Tournament Most Valuable Player Nae'qwan Tomlin scored 16 points for Chipola. Kris Gardner led the Indians with 20. Both were joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammate Lance Erving. 

FCSAA State Player of the Year A.J. Cajuste led the Pioneers with 18 points. Doug Young had 16 and Bendji Pierre, 10. 

Cajuste, Pierre and Jonathan Cisse represented Indian River State on the All-Tournament Team. 

Chipola head coach Donnie Tyndall was named FCSAA Coach of the Year after leading the Indians to their 15th FCSAA Championship. 

FCSAA All-Tournament Team

Bradley Douglas, Santa Fe; Michael Isler, Tallahassee; Kayiem Cleary, Florida SouthWestern; Marcus Niblack, Florida SouthWestern; Issa Muhammad, Northwest Florida State; Deshawndre Washington, Northwest Florida State; Jonathan Cisse, Indian River State; Bendji Pierre, Indian River State; A.J. Cajuste, Indian River State; Nae'qwan Tomlin, Chipola; Lance Erving, Chipola; Kris Gardner, Chipola

Tournament MVP: Nae'qwan Tomlin, Chipola
FCSAA Coach of the Year: Donnie Tyndall: Chipola