Fort Hays Crowned MIAA Tournament Champions with 72-71 win over Central Oklahoma

Fort Hays State University won its first MIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament title since 2011 in a dramatic 72-71 fashion over Central Oklahoma. The back and forth contest featured 18 lead changes and 12 ties in the battle for the crown – including three in the final 1:30 – as a pair of Kaleb Hammeke (6'0''-PG) free throws and missed last chance attempt by Central Oklahoma sealed the Tigers ticket to the big dance.
No. 2 seed Fort Hays State shot 44.4 percent from the field (24-for-54), including a 42.1 percent clip (8-for-19) from the three-point range. No. 8 seed Central Oklahoma finished with 50.0 percent (25-for-50) shooting from the field, 47.6 percent (10-for-21) from behind the arc and held a 34 to 30 edge on rebounds.
Fort Hays State's Kaleb Hammeke was named 2025 tournament MVP. Playing all 40 minutes of the championship game, Hammeke finished with 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field, 4-of-6 from the three and 6-of-6 at the line. In the Tigers three tournament games, the graduate student averaged 38.0 minutes, 20.7 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.
It was a back-and-forth battle to open up the championship game with 11 lead changes and five ties in the opening half alone. Fort Hays built up a seven point lead with under six to go in the first frame of action but UCO responded with a 9-2 run to tie it up at 31-31 with two minutes remaining. Teams traded baskets as UCO took a one-point advantage, 36-35, into the break.
Another pair of lead changes occurred before UCO stretched out a seven point edge early in the second half behind an 8-0 run. The Tigers came crawling back with a run of their own to make it 50-48 at the under-12-minute mark. No team got within more than six as the clock wind down. The game was decided by Hammeke who knocked down both of his free throws in the last 27 seconds. The Bronchos attempted a last second shot for the win but fell short, as the Tigers 72-71 win claimed the MIAA's automatic qualifying berth into the 2025 NCAA Division II National Tournament.
Fort Hays State's Kyle Grill (6'6''-G) added 17 and Dan Mukuna (6'8''-F-2003) contributed 11 points and seven rebounds in the Tiger victory.
The Bronchos were led by Israel Hart’s double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Jacobi Sebock (6'7''-F) with 16 points and JV Seat’s 11.
Central Oklahoma was the first No. 8 seed to compete in the championship game since 2010. The Bronchos set a new tournament record of 22 blocks as they recorded two in the opening round (vs. Emporia State), nine in the quarterfinals (vs. Washburn), four in the semifinals (vs. Pittsburg State) and seven in the championship (vs. Fort Hays State). The 2014 MIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions Missouri Southern was the only other conference team to record 19 blocks in the tournament throughout its three game run. In addition, the Bronchos set a new four-game tournament block average of 5.5, surpassing its own previous best of 3.0 (12 total blocks) set in 2014.
Five MIAA athletes were named to the 2025 All-Tournament Team: Fort Hays State's Hammeke (MVP) and Grill, Central Oklahoma's Hart and Seat, and Pittsburg State's Jordan Frison (6'0''-PG).

MIAA Final:
Fort Hays State - Central Oklahoma 72-71

MIAA Semifinals:
Fort Hays State - Rogers State 61-43
Pittsburg State - Central Oklahoma 81-93

MIAA Quarterfinals:
Washburn - Central Oklahoma 84-90
Fort Hays State - Central Missouri 67-61
Rogers State - Missouri Western 56-53
Pittsburg State - Nebraska Kearney 96-63

MIAA First Round:
Central Missouri - Northeastern State 69-59
Central Oklahoma - Emporia State 73-60

Courtesy of themiaa.com