Delta Advances To Region XII District Championship Game

Delta Advances To Region XII District Championship Game
March 6, 2015

University Center, MI --- Home cooking has been good to the Delta College men's basketball team the last month this season. Head Coach Kyle Blackbourn hopes to have one more good meal on Saturday as his team advanced to the NJCAA District 10 Championship game with an 88-85 overtime victory against Oaklnad Community College in Friday's semi-final.

"We told the guys it was going to be a battle for 40 minutes but it turned out to be 45 minutes instead," said first year coach Blackbourn. "We kept the intensity the whole way and I'm very proud of our guys effort and the way they stayed together when things got tough."

"It's a great feeling to be in the championship game and to be hosting it at Delta makes it even more rewarding."

Against Oakland on Friday, Delta freshman Benjamin Batts nailed a number of pressure three pointers to stake the Pioneers to a four point halftime lead, 37-33. Oakland came out of the locker room at halftime on fire, however, and eventually took a nine point lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.

Delta used their stalwart defensive pressure to get back in the game and relied on freshman Jusitn Person's long range touch to tie it back up and force overtime.

Person then drained another three ball in the overtime period that served as a dagger, giving the Pioneers a five point lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Needing to foul to get back in the game, Oakland forced Markell Bradshaw to the line but time after time he made the free throws and Delta prevailed.

The Pioneers had 5 men scoring in double figures with Markell Bradshaw leading the way with 23 points, Benamin Batts 16 points, Justin Person contributing 11 points off the bench, Travon Cotton adding 12 points and 10 rebounds as well as Julian Henderson finishing with a double/double, 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Game time for the championship game is at 5:30 on Saturday with the winner advancing to the NJCAA National Championship tournament in Danville, Illinois from March 17 - 21.