Waubonsee shocks defending champs, joins Milwaukee Tech as Region 4 champs
ROCKFORD, ILL. - Heavy favorite and defending national champion South Suburban College failed to get past the semifinal round of the 2023 NJCAA Region 4 Division II (Midwest Districts A & B) Men's Basketball Tournaments as they were upset by #4-seed Waubonsee Community College as the Chiefs went on to join second-seeded Milwaukee Area Technical College in winning Region 4 titles. The Stormers are champions for the fourth time in the last five years, while Waubonsee secured its first crown since 2017.
Waubonsee Community College shocked the Bulldogs with a 70-59 win in the semifinals, and then went rallied from down 19 to defeat #3-seed and 17th-ranked Bryant & Stratton College by a 77-73 final in the championship game. The Bobats controlled the first half and owned a 36-17 advantage with 2:17 to play in the first half. The Chiefs chipped away throughout the second half until taking the lead on a Joey Niesman three-pointer with 5:11 to play. They outscored BSC 14-10, which included a 10-2 run, over the final 3:30. Niesman, a sophomore guard that reached 1,000 career points this season, was named Region 4 Tournament Most Valuable Player after pouring in 30 points. Jaylyn Kelley added 18 points, while Brice Langford had nine points and ten rebounds as both were also named to the Region 4 All-Tournament Team. Lance Robinson was named Region 4 Coach of the Year. (Waubonsee Story)
Milwaukee Area Technical College, ranked #7 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, also rallied from behind to get past #4-seed Olive-Harvey College with a 100-93 win in the title match. The Panthers, who upset top-seeded Moraine Valley Community College in the semifinals, owned a 48-45 lead at halftime. The Stormers took the lead with a pair of Mikale Stevenson free throws less than three minutes into the second half and never surrendered it. While the Panthers hung close, MATC closed out the win at the line after Demarco Clayton's three pointer gave them a 95-87 edge. Stevenson was named the Region 4 Tournament Most Valuable Player after tallying a double-double of 17 points and 15 assists. Shelton Williams-Dryden led the Stormers with 20 points, and Ke'Varius Taylor added 17 points as both joined Stevenson on the Region 4 All-Tournament Team. The Region 4 Coach of the Year award was given to Randy Casey. (MATC Recap)
Waubonsee Community College (25-8) and Milwaukee Area Technical College (28-4) are headed to the 2023 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships in Danville, Illinois, from March 21-25. The Stormers open as the #7 seed and will play #10-seed Mott Community College (24-8) at 8:30pm on Tuesday, March 21. The Chiefs are the #12 seed and draw #5-seed Iowa Lakes Community College (24-8) on Wednesday, March 22 at 1pm.
2023 Region 4 Division II (Midwest District A) Men's Basketball Bracket
2023 Region 4 (Midwest District A) All-Tournament Team
Jaylyn Kelley - Waubonsee Community College
Bryce Langford - Waubonsee Community College
Elijah Pickens - Bryant & Stratton College
Karter Thomas - Bryant & Stratton College
Julian Hodges - Bryant & Stratton College
2023 Region 4 (Midwest District A) Tournament MVP
Joey Niesman - Waubonsee Community College
2023 Region 4 (Midwest District A) Coach of the Year
Lance Robinson - Waubonsee Community College
2023 Region 4 Division II (Midwest District B) Men's Basketball Bracket
2023 Region 4 (Midwest District B) All-Tournament Team
KJ Taylor - Milwaukee Area Technical College
Shelton Williams - Milwaukee Area Technical College
Bryce Baez - Olive-Harvey College
Jemel Jones - Olive-Harvey College
Deshawn Clark - Olive-Harvey College
2023 Region 4 (Midwest District B) Tournament MVP
Mikale Stevenson - Milwaukee Area Technical College
2023 Region 4 (Midwest District B) Coach of the Year
Randy Casey - Milwaukee Area Technical College