The Final Round: Herkimer Advances to National Championship Game vs. Mohawk Valley
Dallas College Richland
(22-12)
59
Herkimer College
(26-4)
72
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dallas College Richland (22-12) | 22 | 37 | 59 |
|
Herkimer College (26-4) | 19 | 53 | 72 |
The No. 5 seed Herkimer College Generals are headed to the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Championship Game for the fourth time ever after an electrifying 72-59 comeback win over No. 8 seed Dallas College-Richland in the national semifinals on Friday night.
Trailing at halftime, Herkimer (26-4) unleashed a dominant second-half performance, outscoring Richland 53-37 to secure the victory. The Generals' offensive explosion was fueled by standout performances from sophomore Jayson McGhee (New Rochelle, NY), who poured in 25 points, including five three-pointers, and sophomore Oladele Oladitan (Staten Island, NY), who delivered a commanding double-double with 20 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists.
The game began as a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find rhythm offensively. Herkimer trailed 22-19 at halftime, shooting just 24.1% from the field and failing to hit a three-pointer in the opening 20 minutes. However, the Generals roared back after the break, shooting a blistering 67.9% from the field and knocking down 58.3% of their three-point attempts.
Freshman Kenny Freeman (Rochester, NY) provided a perfect shooting night, going 6-for-6 from the floor to finish with 12 points, while McGhee's outside shooting helped stretch the Richland defense. Oladitan dominated inside, earning trips to the free-throw line and converting 10-of-13 attempts.
Defensively, Herkimer tightened the screws, holding Richland to just 31.3% shooting overall and forcing nine turnovers. The Generals also won the rebounding battle 45-40, with Josiah Smith and Jayson McGhee combining for key stops down the stretch.
With the win, Herkimer advances to the NJCAA Division III Championship Game, where they will face No. 2 seed Mohawk Valley Community College at 5:00 PM on Saturday. The championship clash will mark the fourth meeting between the two fierce rivals this season, adding another chapter to one of the most intense matchups in junior college basketball. The Hawks most-recently edged the Generals in the Region III Championship two weeks ago.
