Sports

Lumberjacks retain Region XIII crown

By Matthew Semisch

03/03/2015

For the second year running, the Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) men’s basketball team is its region’s royalty.

The Lumberjacks picked up their second NJCAA Region XIII title in as many seasons last week following a pair of wins in the Region XIII tournament. DCB opened postseason play on Wednesday with a 92-55 victory at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) in Bismarck.

Four days later, the Lumberjacks outlasted Dakota County (Minn.) Technical College 87-77 in overtime in Sunday’s regional final in St. Paul, Minn.

DCB (18-15) came flying out of the gates in Wednesday’s game at UTTC and found itself up 57-24 at halftime. The Lumberjacks took their foot off the gas in the second half, but the Thunderbirds couldn’t dig themselves out of an early hole.

Jacks guard Jalyn Turner led both teams with 22 points, and DCB forward Keouvion McCalop finished with a double-double: 20 points and 10 rebounds.

DCB then clinched its second consecutive Region XIII title on Sunday in Minnesota. The Lumberjacks led Dakota County 35-27 at halftime, but after the Blue Knights forced overtime, DCB outscored its hosts 13-3 in the extra frame.

Twenty-eight points from Jacks guard Louis Williams helped lead the way for DCB in the Region XIII final.

DCB will play host to Southeast Community College (Neb.) on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the NJCAA District VII championship game. The winner of that game will move onto the NJCAA national tournament in Danville, Ill.