Men’s basketball makes it to championship game in regional tourney

Che+Colbert%2C+a+guard%2C+prevents+a+turnover.+AACC+lost+80-71+in+the+NJCAA+Region+20+Divison+III+Finals+on+Sunday+to+Prince+Georges+Community+College.+

Frank Mitchell III

Che Colbert, a guard, prevents a turnover. AACC lost 80-71 in the NJCAA Region 20 Divison III Finals on Sunday to Prince George’s Community College.

Dan Elson, Editor-in-Chief

Riverhawks men’s basketball made it to the NJCAA Region 20 Division III championship game in Jenkins Gymnasium Sunday but lost 80-71 to Prince George’s County Community College.

Women’s basketball also played in the tournament, but lost their first game Saturday to Butler County Community College, 68-59.

Men’s basketball head coach Joe Snowden said the team struggled with rebounds.

“We didn’t get those loose balls,” Snowden said. “We didn’t get those rebounds that we needed. Key rebounds played a part in this game.”

Both AACC and PGCC shot 39.4% from the court. From three-point range, the Riverhawks shot 31.6%, while the PGCC Owls went 33.3% from deep.

PGCC had 52 rebounds to AACC’s 33. PGCC had 19 turnovers, while AACC gave the ball up 15 times. AACC had 11 assists in the game compared to PGCC’s eight. From the line, the Owls shot 79.3% while AACC went 72.2% on free throws.

The Riverhawks never led in the game. Second-year transfer studies student Jamar Young, a forward, scored 15 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He played 37 minutes.

PGCC’s largest lead of the game was 11 points.

First-year criminal justice student Kanari Smith, a guard, said the team didn’t come together at the end of the game.

“We just were supposed to bear together and lock in,” Smith said. “We tied the game up. We should have come together and had a game plan for defense but PG came on top unfortunately.”

More than 200 fans attended the game.

The day before, the women’s team lost in the semi-final round.

Women’s head basketball coach Lionel Makell said he is proud of the team’s performance in the playoffs despite the loss.

“[As] long as they give everything they have, that’s what’s important,” Makell said. “And that’s what we’ve been teaching, character and everything else.”

From the court, Butler shot 38.7%, while the Riverhawks went 27.6% from the floor. From three-point range, the Butler Pioneers shot 27.8% compared to AACC’s 22.2%. Butler had 53 rebounds compared to AACC’s 41. AACC turned the ball over seven times compared to Butler’s 17. AACC shot 91.7% from the free throw line. Butler shot 76.9% from the foul line.

Second-year transfer studies student Sydney Woodland, a guard, led the team with 19 points. She had 11 rebounds and two assists.

Makell said the team “played as one [and] we moved the ball [throughout the game].”

Woodland said the team played a good game.

“I think we just got overwhelmed a little bit,” Woodland said. “We focused on one player and forgot about the outside shooters, but overall I feel like that we played one of our best games of the season.”

Woodland, who plans to graduate in May, played in her final game for the Riverhawks on Saturday.

“I had a good experience here academically and through athletics,” Woodland said. “And over the season as a whole. I feel like we came a long way.”