Oklahoma City Claims
Another Championship! Gray named MVP
Oklahoma
City University added to its NAIA record for men's
basketball national championships Tuesday night with a
79-71 victory against Concordia University (Calif.) in
the title game of the 2007 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I
Men's Basketball National Championship at Municipal
Auditorium.
The Stars earned their fifth men's basketball national
championship, which is the most among all NAIA Division
I institutions. This is Oklahoma City's first title
since 1996, when it completed a run of four
championships over a six-year span. The Stars are also
the first No. 2 seed to capture the NAIA Division I
title since 1991, when Oklahoma City accomplished the
feat to win the first of its national championships.
Oklahoma City, which won its first 29 games of 2006-07,
ends its season with a record of 35-2. Concordia, which
played its way into the national title game by winning a
four-overtime thriller Monday against top-seeded Robert
Morris College, wraps up its year with a mark of 31-7.
"This team was well-balanced," said Oklahoma City head
coach
Ray Harper . "Duane (John) was good last night.
Armand (Massogo) was key tonight. We would not have won
the national championship without Armand. We knew they
could shoot it, and we were in for a tough game. They're
a great basketball team."
Junior forward Willie Irick came off the bench to lead
the Stars with 17 points, 12 of which came in the second
half. Irick was named to the All-Tournament Team at the
conclusion of Tuesday's game. Junior guard
Kameron Gray (6'1''-G-82, college:
Cal Poly - SLO), who was named the tournament's Most
Valuable Player, chipped in with 14 points and a
game-high eight assists, while senior forward Duane John
connected for 12 points and grabbed a team-high eight
rebounds.
Concordia led for most of the first half, building an
eight-point lead on three different occasions in the
period. A field goal by junior forward Joe Roberson with
9:23 left in the half gave the Eagles a 30-22 advantage.
Oklahoma City scored the next six points to pull within
30-28 at the 7:55 mark. The teams then traded baskets
and leads until the end of the half, when the Stars
scored the final five points of the period. Senior guard
Nick Covington's three-pointer gave Oklahoma City a
one-point advantage, and a basket by senior center B.J.
Walker in the final 25 seconds sent the Stars into the
locker room with a 43-40 lead.
Oklahoma City maintained its lead throughout the second
half, but Concordia was able to hang close. The Eagles
pulled to within 49-47 on a lay-up by junior guard Josh
Kramer with 14:06 to play. The Stars were able to take
their largest lead of the night, 69-59, when Covington
made two free throws with 5:55 left. Concordia made one
final push, coming within five points on two different
occasions, the last at 7-3-68 on a field goal by senior
forward Levi Luster with 2:03 on the clock.
The Stars then scored their final six points of the
night from the line to seal the victory. Oklahoma City
is now 5-1 all-time in NAIA Division I championship
games, with the only loss coming in last year's final to
Texas Wesleyan University, 67-65.
Luster finished with a game-high 23 points to lead
Concordia. He also added a team-leading eight rebounds.
Kramer chipped in with 11 points, while junior guard
Adam Greenaway picked up four steals.
For Concordia, Luster and junior guard Keith Lawrence
joined Gray and Irick on the All-Tournament Team. Others
named to the All-Tournament squad include Zach Allender
of Campbellsville University (Ky.), Mack Bealim of Union
University (Tenn.), Jammie Evans of Faulkner University
(Ala.), Eddie Smith of the University of Illinois at
Springfield, Freeman Taylor of Robert Morris College
(Ill.) and Brandon Voorhees of Park University (Mo.).
All-NAIA D1 Team 2007
Singleton
Gray
Webb
Smith
Allender
Rawlings/NAIA Player of the Year:Jarekus Singleton (6'3''-G-84) of William Carey College NAIA Coach of the Year:Al Bruehl , Robert Morris (Ill.)
1st Team Melvin Council (6'3''-G) of Robert Morris College Rowan Gray (6'8''-F/C-83) of San Diego Christian College Dwight Jones (6'3''-G-84) of Houston Baptist University Brian Silverhorn (6'6''-G) of Georgetown College Eddie Smith (6'2''-G-83) of University of Illinois at
Springfield Mike Strobbe (6'7''-F) of McKendree College Jarekus Singleton of William Carey (Miss.) Brandon Voorhees (6'7''-G/F) of Park University Kendall Webb (5'10''-G-84) of Wayland Baptist University Paul Wright (6'2''-G) of Mountain State University
2nd Team Zach Allender (6'7''-F) of Campbellsville University of
Campbellsville (Ky.) Demarion Crite of Jarvis Christian (Texas) Deshawn Danzey (6'6''-F) of Crichton (Tenn.) Max Eding (6'3''-G) of Lubbock Christian (Texas) Mike Fraser (6'8''-C) of Oklahoma Baptist Phil French (6'7''-C) of Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Mike Gordy (6'5''-F) of Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Ivan Jenkins (5'11''-G) of Lambuth (Tenn.) Joseph Manuel of Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) Drew Sanchez (6'2''-G) of San Diego Christian (Calif.)
MidAmerica Nazarene wins NAIA
D2 Championship 2007
It's official - Pioneer basketball is not only the most fun to watch, it's
also the best.
The MidAmerica Nazarene University men's basketball team proved that Tuesday
with a 78-60 victory over Mayville (N.D.) State University in the NAIA Div.
II national championship game.
MNU rode the same up-tempo, unselfish style it used to rack up 33 wins to
get one more Tuesday and secure the program's first national championship.
After waiting the entire tournament, MNU finally celebrated after Tuesday's
win.
Coach Rocky Lamar jumped into the arms of his assistants, and the Pioneer
players rushed out to center court for one massive bear hug while the crowd
chanted, "M-N-U" over and over.
The Pioneers used the same formula for victory that they'd used all
tournament: a slow start, followed by a fantastic mid-game run and calm
execution down the stretch.
The first four minutes were all Mayville, though. The Comets played fast and
loose like a team with nothing to lose, while MNU looked tight.
After a rash of missed chip shots and silly turnovers, MNU called timeout
down 11-0.
Coming out of the timeout, the Pioneers went to their most consistent
offensive force all tournament: Danny Hawkins (6'6''-F).
Three straight baskets by Hawkins got things back on track and, when Akuien
Wour followed with a high-flying tip-in, the Pioneers' size advantage began
to show.
The Pioneers also found Jake Nellor in transition for a few layups, but the
senior sharpshooter had trouble getting free for his signature 3-pointers.
But the Pioneers kept chipping away and, with little more than 30 seconds
left in the half, Adam Hepker completed the comeback.
Hepker, who had nine first-half points, made a backdoor cut for a layup on
an inbounds play. He sent MNU into halftime with a tie at 31, the first
since 0 all.
The Comets were led by first team All-American Monty Rogers, who had 10
points in the first half. The unenviable task of guarding the muscular
6-foot-5 banger fell mostly to Cal Kiburz.
Within the first three minutes of the second half, two Mayville big men were
in foul trouble, leaving an already small front line even smaller. MNU took
advantage with buckets by Hawkins and Wour.
Mayville coach Craig Smith tried to counter by going to a zone defense, but
that only opened up the perimeter for Nellor.
The senior drilled his first 3 and then pumped his fist as Mayville called
timeout, down suddenly 40-33.
The Pioneers took their first double-digit lead, 46-36, when Hepker broke
down the defense and found Hawkins for a layup with 10:40 left to play.
Kiburz, who hadn't scored yet, followed with five straight points, and the
Pioneers were rolling.
The rest of the game was a Pioneer highlight reel: Wour soaring for an
emphatic block, Hepker slipping through three defenders on his way to the
hole, Kiburz finding Wour for a two-handed, rim-rocking dunk.
The transformation from a tight game to a 59-39 MNU lead came shockingly
quick. With seven minutes remaining, the Pioneers had the look and swagger
of champions.
The Pioneers had held off every late-game run thrown their way in the
tournament, and Tuesday was no different.
The Comets got as close as 13, but then MNU ran away with the game.
Courtesy of MidAmerica Nazarene
NAIA D2 Awards 2006-07
Kock
Bonaparte
Falkenberg
Jonker
Rogers
Player of the Year:Alex Kock (6'5''-F) of Hutchington (IN)
1st Team Alex Kock of Huntington University (IN) Michael Bonaparte (6'5''-F) of College of the Ozarks (MO) Ben Falkenberg (5'10''-G) of Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH) Adam Hepker (6'0''-G) of Mid America Nazarene University (KS) John Jonker (6'9''-C-85) of Cornerstone University (MI) Scott Ogallagher (6'2''-G) of Warner Pacific College (OR) Monty Rogers (6'5''-F) of Mayville State University (ND) Chad Schuiteman (6'6''-F) of Northwestern College (IA) Brock Seim (6'6''-F) of Dakota Wesleyan University (SD) Chivas Whipple (6'1''-G) of Point Park University (PA)
2nd Team Brent Cole (6'7''-F) of Doane College (NE) Damon Collins (6'6''-F) of Missouri Valley College Ryan Fiegi (6'7''-F) of Oregon Institute of Technology Kyle Ganton (6'5''-F) of Huntington University (IN) Danny Hawkins (6'6''-F) of Mid America Nazarene University (KS) Levell Hesia (5'5''-G-85) of Oregon Institute of Technology Brett Humpal (6'4''-F) of Iowa Wesleyan College Ryan Norman (6'2''-G) of William Penn University (IA) Aaron Sawyer (6'8''-F) of Northwest University (WA) Joe Webb (6'6''-F-83) of Bellevue University (NE)
3rd Team Dane Brooks (6'5''-F) of Culver-Stockton College (MO) Mike Campbell (6'4''-F) of University of Saint Francis (IN) Jackson Capel (6'3''-G) of Evangel University (MO) Marcus Faubion (6'6''-F) of Kansas Wesleyan University Dylan Kvaale (6'5''-G) of University of Sioux Falls (SD) Ryan Short (6'2''-G-86) of Cedarville University (OH) Tramaine Stevens (6'4''-G/F) of Florida Memorial University Joel Tonagel (6'1''-G-85) of Indiana Wesleyan University Chris Washington (6'0''-G) of Saint Ambrose University (IA) Jon Ziegler (6'2''-G-84) of Concordia University (NE)
Tournament Most Valuable Player:Adam Hepker -MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) Tournament Hustle Award:Eric Kruger (6'4''-F) -Northwestern College (Iowa) Rawlings-NAIA Division Coach of the Year:Craig Smith -Mayville State (N.D.)
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Oklahoma City Claims
Another Championship! Gray named MVP
