2017-18 Men's Basketball News
Triton's Christiansen earns Spalding® Coach of the Year
April 25, 2018
After guiding Triton College (IL) to its first-ever national championship, head coach Steve Christiansen has been named 2017-18 Spalding® NJCAA DII Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year.
Two First Team All-Americans lead list of eight to earn NJCAA honors
April 13, 2018
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) selected its 2017-18 men's basketball All-America teams, and eight players from Region IV were named. Headlining the group were two first team recipients: College of Lake County's Catoni' Collins and Triton College's Deonta Terrell in Division II.
Highland one-and-done at The Tournament, fall to eventual national champ
March 26, 2018
For the second year in a row, the Highland Community College men's basketball team was one-and-done at the NJCAA Division I National Championships, also known as The Tournament, in Hutchinson, Kansas. One major difference in 2018, however, is that the #20 Cougars lost to eventual national champion #13 South Plains (TX) College, doing so by a 91-71 final in the first round.
NATIONAL CHAMPS: Triton claims first ever national title with 89-85 win
March 26, 2018
Triton College blew away the competition during a magical postseason run, but needed to hang on late for an 89-85 win over Pima Community College (AZ) to win the 2018 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship, the first in program history. After finishing runner-up two year ago, the top-seeded Trojans held a 27.3 point margin of victory entering the title matchup with the #2 Aztecs, the highest scoring team in the nation, and held off a furious second half comeback to end the year with a 33-4 record. Fellow Region IV representative South Suburban College bowed out of the tournament after two games.
Triton grabs top seed, South Suburban sixth for NJCAA DII Championships
March 20, 2018
The Triton College men's basketball team has been awarded the top overall seed ahead of the 2018 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship, while South Suburban College has earned the sixth seed.
Highland rallies to earn return to The Tournament
March 19, 2018
FREEPORT, ILL. - The Highland Community College men's basketball team was facing a major second half deficit, but with their season in the balance, the Cougars rallied for a come-from-behind 77-75 defeat of Missouri State University-West Plains in the NJCAA District IV Championship Game on Saturday, March 10. The win puts Highland back in the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, also known as The Tournament, field for the second consecutive year and for the eighth time in program history.
Highland's McCloud gets top billing in Region IV Division I All-Region
March 15, 2018
Highland Community College sophomore Jay'Quan McCloud led a balanced Cougars attack throughout the 2017-18 season, and now headlines the list of 11 players named to the NJCAA Region IV Division I All-Region Teams. Highland finished with two players on the first team and a third on the second team, giving HCC one more selection than Kankakee Community College, Sauk Valley Community College, and Malcolm X College. McCloud, the top vote getter, will receive one of three All-American nominations for the region, with Kankakee's Christian Jacob and Highland's Luka Barisic earning the other two.
Triton's Terrell, Lake County's Collins sit atop Region IV Division II All-Region Teams
March 15, 2018
Twenty-one players were selected to the NJCAA Region IV Division II (District 3 & 4) All-Region Teams following the 2017-18 season, with Deonta Terrell of Triton College and Catoni' Collins of the College of Lake County finished first among vote-getters in their respective districts. In District 3, South Suburban College and Carl Sandburg College led the total count with two players each, and Terrell, Jordan Matthews of SSC, and Darias Oliver of Olive-Harvey College received the region's three All-American nominations. District 4 saw Morton College place two players on the first team, with Moraine Valley Community College pacing the total count with three players, and joining Collins among All-American nomination recipients were Mason Vires of Morton College and Darnell Wright from Waubonsee Community College.
Smith sends Highland to repeat Region IV Division I title
March 14, 2018
FREEPORT, ILL. - Top-seeded and host Highland Community College used a 40-13 run to end the first half and ignite a 100-88 victory over third-seeded Kankakee Community College, winning the NJCAA Region IV Division I Men's Basketball Championship for a second straight year. The win sends the Cougars to the NJCAA District IV Championship against Region XVI winner, Missouri State University-West Plains, on March 10 in Freeport.
Joliet falls a buzzer-beater shy of DIII national tournament
March 14, 2018
The NJCAA Region IV Division III men's basketball champions from Joliet Junior College were beaten at the buzzer by Columbus State Community College (OH) in the NJCAA District II Championship. The Cougars' Mario Young converted the game-winning bucket as time expired to keep the Wolves from reaching the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship with an 85-83 decision.
South Suburban College, Triton College push forward with Region IV Division II championships
March 12, 2018
SUGAR GROVE, ILL. - South Suburban College and Triton College both continued a run of recent dominance with Region IV Division II Men's Basketball Tournament Championships in 2018.
Rock Valley's Ross headlines 2018 DIII All-Region Team
March 07, 2018
Rock Valley College sophomore guard Malique Ross headlines the list of ten players named to the 2017-18 NJCAA Region IV Division III All-Region Team. The Golden Eagles placed two players on the first team, while Madison College, Joliet Junior College, and Elgin Community College each had a player on both the first and second teams. Ross, along with sophomores Tyree Young of Madison College and Jarret Gmazel of Joliet Junior College, received the region's three All-American nominations.
Gmazel guides Joliet to Region IV DIII crown
February 27, 2018
Following several runner-up finishes, the Joliet Junior College men's basketball team finally punched through and won the 2018 Region IV Division III Championship with a 74-70 victory over Rock Valley College. Since claiming their last Region IV title in 2010-11, the top-seeded Wolves have endured four second place tropies over the last six years before ending the drought Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin.
Lake County's Collins tabbed NJCAA Player of the Week
February 14, 2018
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has named the College of Lake County's Catoni' Collins as the Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Week for January 29-February 4 (Week 12). The honor is the first of the season for the Lancers, and the first such accolade for Collins.
South Suburban's Matthews earns NJCAA DII Player of the Week honor
January 12, 2018
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has named South Suburban College's Jordan Matthews as the men's basketball Division II Player of the Week for December 19-January 7 (Week 8). The honor is the first such award for Matthews, and the first of the season for the Bulldogs.
Kishwaukee's Lopez named NJCAA DII Player of the Week
December 13, 2017
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has named Kishwaukee College's Rudy Lopez as the Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Week for November 26-December 3 (Week 5). The honor is the first for Lopez and the first of the season for the Kougars.