NICEVILLE, Fla. - Chipola College rallied from an eight-point, second-half deficit and claimed the FCSAA Division I/NJCAA South Atlantic District Men's Basketball Championship with a 50-48 win over Northwest Florida State College.
With the win, Chipola punched its ticket to the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in Hutchinson, Kan., while the Raiders will hope for one of the at-large bids which will be announced on Sunday.
Chipola's 25-19 halftime lead was gone just over two minutes into the second half. Tajuan Simpkins' three put the Raiders in front, 29-27, and then a 10-2 run, capped by another Simpkins' three, gave Northwest Florida State a 39-31 lead with 13:12 left in the game.
Needing to make a run, Chipola turned to its defense, who pitched a shutout for almost ten minutes. The Indians rattled off 14 unanswered points, the last coming on a three by Antonio Baker that put Chipola in fronnt, 45-39, with 4:24 remaining.
The Indians never trailed again but had to survive two possessions in the final 15 seconds when the Raiders could have potentially won the game.
Up one with 15 seconds left, Idell Walton missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but the Raiders' misfired on the ensuing possession. After a foul with three seconds left, it was A.J. Barnes' turn at the charity stripe, where the Indians were just 2-of-9 for the game.
Barnes hit the front end but missed the second, however the RaSheed Jones only had time for a halftime heave, which missed and gave the Indians the win.
Tournament Most Outstanding Player Greedy Williams had 14 points and 10 assists for Chipola. He was joined on the FCSAA All-Tournament Team by teammates Jerald Colonel and Antonio Baker. Simpkins and Tavion Banks made the team from Northwest Florida State.
Other players selected were: Hayden Brittingham, Tallahassee; Seth Jones, Tallahassee; Jaehshon Thomas, Florida SouthWestern; Kyle Brown, Indian River State; Kylin Green, Daytona State; Matija Zuzic, Eastern Florida State; and Owen Aquino, Eastern Florida State.
Chipola's Donnie Tyndall was recognized as the FCSAA Coach of the Year.