MCC Beats Anne Arundel 77-66 in Season Finale

ROCHESTER, MN – Playing three games in three days didn’t seem to bother Ericka Sagay.

The 6’2” center from Bloomfield had 22 points and 18 rebounds in Manchester CC’s 77-66 victory over Anne Arundel (MD) CC in the fourth place game at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship Tournament Saturday
afternoon at the University Center in Rochester, MN.

Team Captain Erika Murphy (Torrington) had 19 points in her final game as a Cougar while Callie Tambling (Manchester) had 16 points, including four three-pointers for MCC (24-4).Murphy was also named to the All-Tournameent team.

“Big E (Sagay) was a force today on the post on the national stage,” MCC Head Coach Robert Turner Jr. said after his team’s season ending victory. “She really looked like an All-American.”

Shenielle Duncan-Clarke (Bloomfield) was a presence at both ends of court with 12 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. “As always, Shorty (Duncan-Clarke) controlled the floor very well,” Turner said. The 24 wins is the most in a season for any MCC basketball team – men or women -and will likely leave the Cougars ranked fourth when the final national poll comes out next week. Manchester CC was the tournament’s Sportsmanship Award recipient.

“This is big,” Turner added. “It feels great and the players feel great. And now you put MCC on the map. Everyone knows who we are and we’ll be back.”
Turner, a former MCC player and assistant to his current assistant, Peter Harris, is in his fifth season as head coach. Turner’s teams have posted a 61-10 record over the past three seasons, but 2009-10 is arguably his best. Turner is 74-35 as a head coach Manchester CC.

MCC drew the seventh seed in its first national tournament appearance since 2002 and had to face undefeated no. 2 Brookdale (NJ) CC in the first round of the tournament and lost by 19 points. The Cougars roared back with a convincing victory over Westchester (NJ) CC on the second day, then completed their statement with the win over no. 5 Anne Arundel.

Katie Beall led Anne Arubel (16-12) with 19 points while Ashley Wagnor was followed with 18 points. Beall and Wagnor had four three-pointers apiece to help keep the Pioneers, who dressed just seven players (six sophomores) in the game.

MCC built a ten point lead over the first ten minutes but saw it evaporate over the second ten minutes. The Pioneers hit three, three-pointers and five free throws during a 16-3 run down the stretch and took a 36-34 lead into the half.

Sagay, who had 12 of her 22 points in the first half, poured in eight in a 10-2 MCC run over the first five minutes of the second half as the Cougars regained a ten point advantage. MCC never trailed again after taking the lead back in the first minute of the second half, but Anne Arundel stayed within reach.

Jazlynn Canino (East Hartford) and Mikal Mitchell (Windsor) came off the bench when Murphy and Kasiaana Goodman (Waterbury) got into foul trouble and played key roles in the victory. Canino had eight points and six rebounds while Mitchell controlled the ball and the clock.

“We have players on the bench who will step up and play big for us,” Turner said. “Mikal played a big game, Jazz played a big game.”

Two of Tambling’s three pointers came with less than five minutes to play and essentially snuffed out Anne Arundel’s valiant comeback attempt.