Sports

Jacks raided of District VII title by Central CC

By Tyler Ohmann

03/11/2014

The very successful season that the Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) men’s basketball team came to a close one game short of their ultimate goal--the national tournament.

DCB fell 92-77 to Central Community College in Columbus, Neb., last Sunday in the District VII final, and concluded the season with a 25-8 overall record.

The record, along with many other things that the Jack accomplished this season were program bests.

“It was the most successful season in school history, many accomplishments were made,” Fehringer said. “We had a very gifted and talented group that came to work and played hard every day, and I think our college and our community is very fortunate to have this group of young men.”

Last Sunday though those men could not overcome another group of men on the court, and it ended their season.

In the first half, both teams struggled to put in baskets. However, Central scored a few more and led 29-21 at the break.

The Raiders then began the second half on an 8-0 run, and never led by less than 10 the rest of the way.

“When it comes down to it, whatever it might be, just wasn’t present,” Fehringer said. “It’s a game of who can make more baskets, and we just weren’t able to put the ball in the hole early, and later on it became difficult because you got behind.”

“Eventually you’re not playing the game plan that you came in with,” Fehringer added.

Jalyn Turner did hit a couple of big jumpers in the second half to cut the lead to 10 points, but that was as close as the Jacks got.

Turner, a freshman, finished with 17 points for the Jacks. DCB was led by sophomore Julian Vasquez, who had 20 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Gilberto Shojgreen added 14 points and nine rebounds.

Fehringer also gives a lot of credit to the Raiders, who played well in front of their home crowd.

“It’s always difficult to win on the road, and Central Community College is very talented and very fast,” Fehringer said. “It is much more difficult to win a championship game like that in somebody else’s house.”

All five Raider starters scored in double figures led by Tyron Criswell’s 22 points. Tra-Deon Hollins added 20 points, and Riak Bol scored 17 points inside.

Despite not reaching their goal, Fehringer believes there is no reason for the Jacks to hang their heads.

“There is no doubt that our goal, our mission was to make the national tournament and see how far we’d make it, but sometimes you don’t win the game at the right time or play the way you want to play on a given day,” Fehringer said. “But by no means should that soil any of the things that this group has done.”

DCB will lose sophomores Vasquez, Billy Engel, Jake Arck, Kolby Selbi and Terrance Williamson.

They will return All-Region XIII player Jalyn Turner as well as big contributors Xavier Cruz, Shojgreen, Wesley Harrison and Sam and Patrick Robinson. They also have six players who redshirted this season, including Kristoff Walker, who started for DCB in 2012-13.