Herkimer Mens Basketball Falls Short in NJCAA Division III Championship Game
Herkimer College
(26-5)
51
Mohawk Valley Community College
(29-1)
58
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Herkimer College (26-5) | 16 | 35 | 51 |
|
Mohawk Valley Community College (29-1) | 27 | 31 | 58 |
The Herkimer Generals Men's Basketball Team saw its remarkable season come to a close on Saturday night, as the Generals fell to Mohawk Valley Community College, 58-51 in the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship game.
With the loss, Herkimer finished the season with a 26-5 record, marking their second consecutive appearance in the national title game—making them the first team to accomplish this feat since Rock Valley in 2014 and 2015.
Slow Start Proves Costly
The Generals struggled to find their offensive rhythm early, shooting just 14.8% from the field in the first half. Despite a strong defensive effort, they entered halftime trailing 27-16.
Herkimer fought back in the second half, improving their shooting to 37%, but Mohawk Valley's defense held firm. The Generals managed to close the gap, but their comeback bid ultimately fell short.
Key Performers
Jayden Norris led the way for Herkimer with 17 points, including two three-pointers, while also contributing five rebounds and three steals. Oladele Oladitan was dominant on the boards, grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with 11 points and four assists. Kenny Freeman added 12 points off the bench.
On the defensive end, Herkimer forced 14 turnovers but struggled to capitalize, scoring just four points off those takeaways.
A Historic Run
Despite the tough loss, the Generals cemented themselves as one of the premier programs in NJCAA Division III basketball with their back-to-back championship game appearances. Their 26-5 season continues the program's tradition of excellence under head coach Matt Lee.
With another strong season in the books, Herkimer will look to build on this success and make another deep run in 2026.
