Brookdale CC Snuffs Out MCC’s National Dreams

ROCHESTER, MN – Brookdale CC took control of the game with a 10-0 run early in the first half to beat Manchester CC 89-70 in the first round of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship Tournament Thursday evening at the University Center in Rochester, MN.

Brielle Martinez and Tia Curtis had 21 points apiece to lead Brookdale (26-0). Erika Murphy led Manchester (22-4) with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Shenielle Duncan-Clarke had 16 points while Ericka Sagay had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars, who will play Westchester CC (Valhala, NY) in the battle for fourth place Friday at 3 pm Central Standard Time. Brookdale will face Madison (WI) Area Technical College Friday night in the winner’s bracket.

MCC jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Brookdale roared back with three consecutive three-pointers and a layup to take an 11-8 advantage six minutes into the game. After a pair of lead changes, Brookdale went on their 10-point run and never looked back.

“Our girls had to settle down a bit,” Brookdale Co-Head Coach Marianne Campacci said. “Once we went into our actual rotation, we were fine.”

MCC turned the ball over too many times and Brookdale exchanged them for points while putting together a solid 12 point lead. Callie Tambling (14 points) hit her first of two threes in the waning minutes of the first half, followed by Sagay and Murphy baskets, allowing MCC to limp into halftime down by just seven points, 41-34.

The Cougars picked away in the second half, but Brookdale kept the lead between eight and ten points, then pulled away over the final six minutes.

“In the second half, it seemed like we just ran out of gas,” MCC Head Coach Robert Turner Jr. said. “I give the other team credit because they played hard. We could have played much tougher, but kind of got shocked a little bit early.”