Indians advance in NJCAA Tournament with 96-66 win

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Sophomore guard Cliff Davis scored a career-high 23 points to lead the #9 seed Chipola Indians to a 96-66 victory over #24 seed Cape Fear Community College in the opening round of the NJCAA Men's Di Basketball Tournament.

After Cape Fear took the lead with just over two minutes played, Davis answered with his second three-pointer of the game to give the Indians a 7-5 lead. Chipola never trailed again.

Midway through the first half, the Indians used a 9-0 run to take a 27-16 lead. Chipola would lead by as many as 18 in the first twenty minutes and carried a 49-35 lead into the locker room at the break.

Chipola used the first six minutes of the second half to stretch their lead with a 13-2 run. The Indians held the Sea Devils to just 10-of-36 in the second half, including 1-of-13 from three-point range.

The Indians also struggled from beyond the arc in the second half, 2-of-10, but still managed to shoot 53.8% from the floor.

With the ultimate goal of winning five games in six days, Coach Donnie Tyndall was able to clear his bench in the second half and rest his starting five. Jamil Safieddine was the only starter to play more than 20 minutes in the game.

Chipola will take on Midland College at 4:30 on Tuesday in the second round. As the number 8 seed, Midland received a first-round bye.

"We should be fresh and ready to go for tomorrow," said Tyndall. "None of our guys played heavy minutes."

"Midland is well-coached and disciplined," Tyndall said of the Chaparrals. "They are going to make you make tough plays off the dribble and earn every basket."

 Game Notes

• Three other players joined Davis in double figures. Zach Bell scored 15 points, all but two in the second half. Derrick Butler had 13 and Jamil Safieddine chipped in 10.
• Chipola led by as many as 37 points with 1:15 left in the game.
• The 96 points scored by the Indians were the most by a Chipola team in the NJCAA Tournament since the 2008-2009 team scored 102 in a win against Connors State.
• Chipola's starting five was 20-of-28 from the floor including 13-of-15 from inside the three-point arc.
• The Chipola bench outscored Cape Fear's, 46-28.