Trinity Valley Finishes Special National Championship Season at 36-0

Photos by Max Iselin Photography. www.maxiselinphotography.com

SALINA, Kan. -- Great shooting led Trinity Valley Community College (Texas) to a 69-55 victory over Hutchinson Community College (Kan.) to claim the 2012 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship for the Lady Cardinals Saturday at the Bicentennial Center in Salina, Kan. 

The national title was extra special for TVCC, as they played on and won the first game on the floor named for former Lady Cardinal head coach and Salina native, Kurt Budke. The floor was dedicated in a pre-game ceremony that drew a near sell-out crowd. Budke previously led TVCC to four national titles before leaving the NJCAA ranks for the NCAA. He also mentored current Lady Cardinal co-head coaches Michael and Kenya Landers.

Overall TVCC has now won six NJCAA national championships in women's basketball. 

Trinity Valley was hot in the first half, hitting 6-of-10 3-point field goals and 48 percent from the floor to build a 37-25 halftime lead.

The Cardinals led by as much as 20 down the stretch, but Hutchinson would close as close as seven before Trinity Valley put the game away.

Keuna Flax led Trinity Valley with 21 points, while Breanna Lewis (#00 right) adds 14 points and Starr Breedlove 12. Hutchinson got 17 points from Laura Patrick and 15 from Jackie Patterson.

Trinity Valley finishes the season 36-0, while Hutchinson ends at 36-1.

Flax was named tournament MVP and Trinity Valley co-coaches Michael and Kenya Landers were named co-coaches of the tournament.

For more on the Kurt Budke Court dedication read Honoring a champion. Watch a replay of the ceremony via NJCAA TV archive here.