3/9/2007
Story by Tyler Cundith

Cavaliers wins region championship

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College men’s basketball team captured its second straight NJCAA Division II Championship Saturday afternoon, defeating Hesston College, 90-81.  

JCCC took control early, as sophomore Corey May and freshman Anthony Spencer powered JCCC to a 10-point halftime lead.  May scored 21 of his game-high 26 points in first half, and Spencer followed with 12 of his 19 points in the opening half.  May also led the team with 10 rebounds and blocked a career-best six shots.  

In the second half, sophomore Aaron Linn led the way scoring 13 of his 19 points.  Linn also moved into a tie for third with Bev Mitchell on JCCC’s all-time scoring chart with 1,061 points.  Freshman Patrick Nemechek also hit two big 3-point baskets, and sophomore Russell Revels hit 6-of-6 free throws in the final two minutes, helping JCCC secure its five region title in eight years.  Freshman Jonathan Jackson also had a solid afternoon, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and four steals.

The victory advances the Cavaliers to the District Championship Tuesday night in St. Louis, Mo., against Forest Park Community College.  Forest Park owns a 7-1 advantage in the all-time series with JCCC, but all seven wins were from 1978-1992.  JCCC won the most recent meeting in 2005, 63-61.