CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTOS | AWARDS
Lubbock, TX – In a battle of Cinderall teams, Tallahassee (FL) prevailed over Trinity Valley (TX) to claim the program's first-ever NJCAA DI Women's Basketball National Championship. The Eagles captured the title as the No. 11 seed with a 69-51 victory.
Both teams did more than just survive and advance in the early stages of the tournament as both programs knocked off top-ranked opponents during the week-long stretch. In the final contest of the season, Tallahassee held the Cardinals to just seven points in the first quarter, but the Cardinals erupted for 25 points in the second to tie the game at 32 at halftime.
It was all Tallahassee in the third as the Eagles built a 55-43 lead through three and the defense stymied the Cardinals in the fourth to take home the title.
- The Eagles relied on a variety of scoring in the championship game as nine different players appeared in the scoring column.
- Nakiah Black led the way for Tallahassee with 13 points off the bench. Japonica James chipped in 10 as a reserve and Jamyra Mcchristine added 12 to go along with seven rebounds.
- Tallahassee won the rebounding battle 48-38 which led to a 16-5 advantage in second chance points.
- The Eagles' three-point defense helped guide Tallahassee to the national title as four of its five opponents along the way shot below 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
- The national title game appearance was the third consecutive for Trinity Valley and seventh in eight years.
- Mercedes Brooks poured in 17 points in the title game for Trinity Valley, her fourth consecutive double-digit performance.
- The Eagles provided Tallahassee with its first national championship since the softball program captured the 1994 title.
- Shelton State's Cierra Johnson was named Tournament MVP after setting a tournament record with 47 points in the third place game and 124 points overall.
There's nothing like a confetti shower for their first NJCAA championship! #njcaahoops pic.twitter.com/X0E2pcKMTJ
— NJCAA TV (@NJCAATV) March 25, 2018
Follow @NJCAA
