By: Mark Reinhiller
Chaps Head Coach Abigail Talley didn’t hesitate to call Sunday’s 80-67 NJCAA Region 4 women’s basketball title victory over host Joliet Junior College a team victory.
Six players factored into the scoring column and all six stepped up to make critical plays in earning COD’s first regional championship in 15 seasons.
“Honestly, winning the regional title was extremely high on our list of goals when we got going this fall,” said Talley, who was named the regional coach of the year. “From the get-go, it was a goal that we shared right away. We’ve had our share of peaks and valleys, with some extra valleys, and climbed out of some adversity, but the girls remained positive and it’s reflected by the way we won.”
The Chaps (15-15 overall) play at defending national champion, second-ranked and Region 12 champion Owens Community College of Perrysburg, Ohio, in the Great Lakes District title game Saturday, March 4, for the right to play in the NJCAA National Tournament March 15 to 18 in Rochester, Minnesota.
Tipoff is 1 p.m. EST.
Tournament MVP Sierra Gibson led the Chaps with 20 points and all-tourney choices Mykah Berkompas (18 points) and Katlyn Allen (14 points and 11 rebounds) were next. Reserve Morgan Nesemeier had 12 points, thanks to 10 in the second half with a pair of 3’s in the fourth quarter.
Alyssa Havard and Korriana Wilson each had eight points.
COD bounced back in the second quarter after trailing 21-13 through the first. Gibson and Berkompas combined on all 13 first-quarter points to keep the Chaps alive.
Berkompas scored eight straight points that opened the second and COD used a 13-2 run to briefly lead 26-23 with five minutes before going into halftime down, 36-35.
The Chaps then forged ahead when Allen’s 3-pointer opened a 13-1 run with 3:32 to go and they extended the lead for good, 56-47, entering final quarter.
“We have been in a lot of close games this season,” Talley said. “We’ve learned from those experiences and it showed today.”
Joliet got within five twice in the fourth, but each time COD fought back against the Wolves. The first arrived on Havard’s 3-pointer that pushed the Chaps to a 71-63 lead with under two minutes to go.
COD hit eight straight free throws inside the final minute for the 13-point margin.
“Holy cow, Alyssa’s 3 was the nail in the coffin,” Talley said. “That shot gave us a safety net. It took the pressure off by bumping the lead back to seven and now time is on our side. We could play aggressive with the lead.”