STLCC men defeat North Central, set up Region XVI showdown with Penn Valley

STLCC men defeat North Central, set up Region XVI showdown with Penn Valley
Posted: Feb 27, 2016

Archers defeat North Central, make Region XVI final

Though the route taken to the Region XVI title game is among the more unusual in STLCC men’s basketball history, the Archers will nonetheless take the court tonight in Joplin with a region championship on the line.

The Archers earned their title game berth on Friday with a 96-90 victory over North Central College, STLCC’s second victory over North Central in three tries this year, and earned them a meeting with Penn Valley at 8 pm on Saturday evening at Ozark Christian College for a shot at the Region XVI championship.

 In his first season as head coach, Terry Collins has led a team that has been wrought with peaks and valleys. The Archers have both won or lost five consecutive games at separate points through the season, and split their two games against Saturday’s opponent during the year. A win on Saturday would secure the team’s first regional title since 2013-14, and earn a berth in the District playoff, which would be held at STLCC on March 5, for a right to play for a spot in the NJCAA tournament.
 

News and Notes

-Friday’s win marked the fifth time this year in which the Archers have scored 90 or more points, and second such game against North Central. STLCC is 4-1 when reaching the 90-point plateau.

-A win Saturday would improve the Archers to 13-17, making them the first Archers team to win a regional title with an overall record below .500.

 

Duffy’s Bar and Grill Player of the Game: Sean Rigmaiden

The win was punctuated by a clutch performance by Sean Rigmaiden from the free-throw line. Rigmaiden sealed the Archers’ win by finishing the evening 16-for-18 from the line. The Archers’ free-throw conversion rate had been a weak point for much of the season, and Rigmaiden was no exception, having entered the game at a 64 percent clip for the season. However, his clutch performance on Friday helped the Archers hold off a late charge by North Central, in STLCC’s first win away from home since defeating Wentworth Military Academy on January 30. The win improved the Archers to 12-17, and pushed aside a late-season swoon that saw STLCC lose six of its final seven regular-season games.