Grand Rapids, MI – Ancilla College advanced to the championship of the NJCAA Region 12 Great Lakes West District for the third straight year on Friday afternoon. The Chargers (21-7) beat the hosts 78-59 to advance. The championship begins at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.
Isiah James led Ancilla with 13 points, with Rico Swanson, Jr. scoring 12. Cortney shorter and Shak Johnson both finished with 11 points.
The Chargers won this tournament last year on their way to an 8th place finish in the NJCAA Division II Basketball tournament. Two years ago, the favored Ancilla team fell in the championship.
Ancilla will meet the winner of the Muskegon Community College (24-4) and Kellogg Community College (14-16) game, which started 30 minutes after the Charger victory. The Chargers lost to both of these teams twice in the regular season.
2020 NJCAA Region 12 Division II Great Lakes West District Men's Basketball Tournament
Ancilla 78, Grand Rapids 59
At Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids (59): Montrayl Simpson 0-1 0-0 0, Darien Banks 1-9 0-0 3, Jaylen Williams 5-20 3-4 14, Chandler Collins 5-6 0-1 10, Johnny Davis 4-13 4-8 12, Richard Major 0-1 2-2 2, Peyton Vis 1-5 0-0 2, Herman Brown 1-8 0-0 2, Ryle Daye 3-11 6-6 12, Joel Butler 1-2 0-0 2. TOTALS: 21-76 15-21 59.
ANCILLA (78): Clark Wells 4-6 0-0 8, Austin Pearison 0-1 0-0 0, Mike Hemingway 2-4 0-0 7, Josh Alcindor 2-15 2-2 7, Rico Swanson, Jr. 6-10 0-0 12, Isiah James 5-11 3-6 13, Cortney Shorter 5-11 0-0 11, Ray Yagelski 2-3 0-0 5, Weston Sage 1-5 0-0 2, Shak Johnson 5-6 1-3 11, Jalen Fountain 0-2 0-0 0, Rico Duncan 1-2 0-0 2, Jackson Erekson 0-3 2-2 2, Tre Gallupe 0-1 1-2 1. TOTALS: 33-80 3-22 78.
Halftime: Ancilla 43, Grand Rapids 25. Three-point baskets: AC 3-22 (Shorter 1-6, Hemingway 0-1, Alcindor 1-6, Pearison 0-1, Sage 0-3, Yagelski 1-1, Erekson 0-2, Fountain 0-2), GR 2-20 (Banks 1-5, Williams 1-6, Major 0-1, Daye 0-4, Brown 0-4). Rebounds: AC 55 (Shorter 8, Alcindor 8, Swanson, Jr. 8), GR 55 (Davis 13). Assists: AC 16 (Swanson, Jr. 4, Hemingway 4), GR 10 (Williams 3). Turnovers: AC 14, GR 20. Fouls (Fouled out): AC 14 (none), GR 20 (none). Records: Ancilla 21-7, Grand Rapids 16-15.
