2008-09 DIV II MEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MARCH 18-21, 2009
Danville, Illnois
Tournament Director: Dick Shockey
2009 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship
Danville Area Community College
2000 E. Main St.
Danville, IL 61832
Ph: 217-443-8762
Fax: 217-554-1651
NJCAA Representative: Thom McDonald
Tournament Dates: March 18-21, 2009
2009 Tournament Qualifiers
District 1: Phoenix College, Ariz. (21-12)
District 2: Monroe Community College, N.Y. (28-5)
District 3: South Suburban College, Ill. (28-5)
District 4: Bismarck State College, N.D. (22-12)
District 5: Morton College, Ill. (21-12)
District 6: Kirkwood Community College, Iowa (25-5)
District 7: Columbus State Community College, Ohio (26-2)
District 8: Henry Ford Community College, Mich. (23-7)
District 9: Delaware Technical & Community College - Stanton (22-10)
District 10: Johnson County Community College, Kan. (23-9)
District 11: Cecil College, Md. (32-1)
District 12: Lincoln College, Ill. (25-8)
NOTE: Above records are prior to tournament play
Johnson County Cavaliers Capture Men's Division II National Championship
Story by Tyler Cundith, JCCC Sports Information Director
OVERLAND PARK, KS - The Johnson County Community College men's basketball are champions of NJCAA Division II basketball - again! The Cavaliers, led by head coach Mike Jeffers, captured their second NJCAA Division II National Championship by defeating Kirkwood Community College, 63-49, at Mary Miller Gymnasium in Danville, Ill. JCCC also won the 2001 national title.
Five months ago, Jeffers gave his 2001 National Championship watch to his mother to be placed on his father who had passed away. His mother asked him if that is what he really wanted.
"I told her that dad and my brother would be watching, and I just had the faith it would happen again sometime. I just didn't think it would happen five months later," an emotional Jeffers said. "I am so proud of these guys. These guys learned to come together and learned to to trust each other. I told our guys before the game that the hard part is over. Getting here is the hard part, now this is the fun part."
Defense was the key to the Cavaliers championship run. JCCC held their opponents to an average of 55.7 points and a shooting percentage of .378.
"Coach (Jeffers) knew we had the offensive firepower, but he told us it would be our defense that would win a championship," said JCCC sophomore Nafis Ricks, the tournament's MVP. "We've worked really hard and came together as a team."
Ricks led the Cavaliers with 21 points in the title game against Kirkwood, and finished the tournament average 16.3 points. Also in double figures were freshman forward Kenny Moore with 13 points and freshman guard Jared Henry with 11. Both players joined Ricks on the all-tournament team.
Moore averaged 14 points and let JCCC with nine steals all while playing with an injured shooting hand. In the opening round against Monroe, Moore had his leg cut from under him and he landed hard on his right wrist. He went to the line, shot an air ball, then missed the second shooting with left hand.
"I thought it was broken," Moore said. "But I got it taped and sucked it up. Nothing was going to stop me. I had never had won a championship before I came to JCCC. This is the best move in my life coming to JCCC."
Henry averaged 12 points, and hit 5-of-11 3-pointers, many coming at critical times in the game. The freshman from St. Thomas Aquinas really elevated his play as the season progressed, and emerged a key go-to player down the stretch.
"It's all about the confidence to take those shots," Henry said. "I had the confidence at the end of the season, but I didn't' when the season began."
Jeffers now stands 7-0 in national tournament as the Cavaliers head coach. He was named the National Coach of the Year following his team's run through the tournament.
| National Championship Results | 2008-2009 |
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MARCH 18, 2009 |
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