Brookdale wins third national title in school history
Herkimer, NY - The Brookdale (NJ) Jersey Blues defeated Sandhills (NC) 90-82 to win the 2023 NJCAA Division IIII Men's Basketball Championship. This is the third championship in school history.
The third-seeded Jersey Blues put together one of the most impressive seasons among NJCAA Division III. Sophomore guard Kevin Mateo saved his best game for last, scoring a game-high 31-points and earning Tournament MVP honors in the process.
Tale of the Tape
Both teams showed there will in the first half, with Sandhills jumping out to an early lead and holding it for the majority of the game. Jamori McDougald started off hot scoring 12 first-half points.
The second half saw the Jersey Blues come out firing. It seemed like Kevin Mateo could not miss throughout the second half, scoring 24 points. Brookdale's 52 points in the second half propelled them to the national championship.
Sandhills' quest for a third national championship comes up just short
The Flyers showed why they were the top overall seed and the top-ranked scoring offensive in the country. They came out of the gate scoring at will, scoring 45 points in the first-half. All-tournament team selection Jamori McDougald led them in scoring with 12 points in the first half.
Sandhills was able to keep the Jersey Blues at arm's length for a majority of the second half before a Darnell Askew layup gave Brookdale the lead and they never looked back. The Flyers finished their incredible season with a 30-4 record.
Guards Jamari McDougold and LeNijel Robinson were named to the all-tournament team.
10-seeded Rochester finishes miraculous run with third place finish
Rochester (MN) entered the national tournament as the No. 10 overall seed. In the first round, they faced No. 7 seed Butler County (PA). With four seconds to play in a tie game, sophomore Andre Crockett drove the baseline and lifted up for a floater, knocked it down, and was fouled. This gave the Yellowjackets a shot against the defending champs.
In a tough matchup, Kameron Givens led Rochester to a ten-point win over Dallas-North Lake. The Yellowjackets became the first double-digit seed to reach the final four in NJCAA DIII Men's Basketball History.
Despite falling to eventual champion Brookdale in the semifinals, Rochester secured a third-place finish after winning 68-53 against Northampton.
Tournament Awards
Rochester won the Team Sportsmanship Award for their efforts and sportsmanship throughout the NJCAA DIII Men's Basketball Championship. The Yellowjacket guard Quincy Burland was named the Small Man of the Tournament.
Brookdale head coach Paul Cisck was named Coach of the Tournament for the third time in his career. Jersey Blue sophomore guard Kevin Mateo was named Most Valuable Player.
