No doubt, really: Salem CC draws fourth seed, first-round bye in the JUCO Division III national tournament
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT
March 11-14, Herkimer, N.Y.
March 11
No. 8 Northampton (27-4) vs. No. 9 Genesee (23-7), noon
No. 5 Dallas Eastfield (20-9) vs. No. 12 Joliet (15-11), 2 p.m.
No. 7 Dutchess (26-4) vs. No. 10 Dallas-Richland (20-9), 4 p.m.
No. 6 Montgomery County (21-4) vs. No. 11 Ridgewater, (22-6) 6 p.m.
March 12
Northampton-Genesee winner vs. No. 1 Northern Essex (30-3), 2 p.m.
Dallas Eastfield-Joliet winner vs. No. 4 Salem (30-2), 4 p.m.
Dutchess-Dallas Richland winner vs. No. 2 Riverland (29-2), 6 p.m.
Montco-Ridgewater winner vs. No. 3 Dallas North Lake (22-10), 8 p.m.
At-large berths in italics
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT — Some anxious few days turned into cheers of joy (relief, maybe) Wednesday when the Salem CC basketball team landed one of four at-large bids to the NJCAA Division III national tournament next week in Herkimer, N.Y.
The Mighty Oaks (30-2), No. 1 in the country at the end of the regular season but upset in their district championship game to leave their inclusion to the selection committee, were installed as the No. 4 seed. They will play the Dallas Eastfield-Joliet winner at 4 p.m. March 12 after drawing a first-round bye. Ironically, Mighty Oaks assistant coach Scooter Wilkerson had Joliet playing on the office TV before practice.
“I wasn’t really tripping.” freshman Nasseem Wright said. “I knew we were going to go to the tournament. We lost the (district) championship and it was a disappointment but it doesn’t overshadow all the work we put in to this point. I’m excited.
“I told you right after the game I knew were going to get in. That’s how God works. It was in God’s hands and I trusted it.”
The Mighty Oaks had heard rumors earlier in the day they were getting in, which made for a business-like practice Wednesday afternoon, but their spot didn’t become public until the selection show aired later that evening. The team watched the show in the gym after practice.
Three-point threat Zyaire Gibson was the first player to set up a seat in front of the monitor to watch the show. He didn’t have any doubts about the Mighty Oaks getting in, either.
“We worked for this,” he said. “We’re 30-2. We had a heartbreaking loss, but … now that we know we made it, keep our head down, not harp on the last loss, play hard and hopefully win this.”
“I kind of knew we were going to get in,” point guard Saaid Lee said. “I think it’s just another chance at life, basically. Just another run we need to go on to get this one.”
The host of the selection show made a special mention of Gibson’s specialty when he talked about the Mighty Oaks’ spot in the tournament, but the guard said he only got the half of it.
“They talked about my (3-point) shot attempts, they’ve got to talk about the makes,” he said. “I’m No. 1 in the (field) in makes, too.”
The other top four seeds are No. 1 Northern Essex, No. 2 Riverland (Salem’s opening-round opponent last year) and No. 3 Dallas North Lake. The other at-large bids went to Dallas Eastfield (20-9), Dallas Richland (20-9) and Ridgewater (22-6).
Salem’s Region 19 and Dallas’ Region 5 both got three teams in the field. Both sets were separated into different pods so region rivals wouldn’t meet until the semifinals.
“I told you those guys usually get it right,” head coach Mike Green said. “We’re fortunate to get a fourth seed, fortunate to get a bye. When you don’t take care of business the way you’re supposed, you leave it up in somebody else’s hands and we did that, but I think the committee did a good job.”
The Mighty Oaks had a lot going for them. They were ranked No. 1 in the country for six weeks during the season, had the best record in Region XIX and the best record in the country at the end of the regular season.
A year ago the Mighty Oaks went into the tournament as a 10thseeded automatic qualifier and won three games in four days. This year they have a first-round bye and a more focused mindset.
“Last year we were just happy to be there,” Green said. “This year it’s a real business trip, and we’re going to treat it as such.
“Last year’s team fought that first game against Riverland and we didn’t anything that second game (against Mohawk Valley). We got a bye (this year). We get a chance to watch, we get an extra day to scout, so these guys ought to come in with guns blazing.”
JUCO Division III Tournament
| AUTO (District) | W-L | STR | L10 | OFF | DEF |
| No. 1 Northern Essex (East) | 30-3 | 16 | 10-0 | 89.3 | 71.0 |
| No. 2 Riverland (North Plains) | 29-2 | 3 | 9-1 | 85.6 | 66.5 |
| No. 8 Northampton (North Atlantic) | 27-4 | 4 | 8-2 | 80.2 | 67.0 |
| No. 7 Dutchess (Northeast) | 26-4 | 4 | 9-1 | 85.4 | 65.5 |
| No. 9 Genesee (North) | 23-7 | 14 | 10-0 | 85.7 | 75.6 |
| No. 3 Dallas-North Lake (South Central) | 22-10 | 5 | 8-2 | 85.5 | 75.4 |
| No. 6 Montgomery Co. (North Atlantic) | 21-4 | 7 | 9-1 | 83.2 | 71.0 |
| No. 12 Joliet (Mid-Atlantic) | 15-11 | 5 | 8-2 | 84.8 | 81.2 |
| AT-LARGE | W-L | L10 | OFF | DEF |
| No. 4 Salem CC | 30-2 | 8-2 | 93.0 | 71.9 |
| No. 10 Dallas Richland | 20-9 | 7-3 | 76.7 | 68.2 |
| No. 5 Dallas Eastfield | 20-9 | 7-3 | 83.9 | 71.9 |
| No. 11 Ridgewater | 22-6) | 8-2 | 96.6 | 82.9 |
Riverview Sports News 