MCC Routs Westchester CC in National Tournament
ROCHESTER, MN – Sophomore Erika Murphy has 16 points to help lead Manchester CC to a 78-43 victory over Westchester CC in the consolation round of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship Tournament Friday afternoon at the University Center in Rochester, MN.
Shenielle Duncan-Clarke and Ericka Sagay also shined for MCC (23-4), scoring 15 and 10 points respectively. Sagay and Jazlynn Canino had 10 rebounds apiece as all five Cougar starters hit double figures in scoring. Callie Tambling hit for 11 points and Kasiana Goodman rounded out the starting five with 10. Murphy had eight rebounds while Duncan-Clarke had 10 boards and seven assists.
“We were very balanced, but they really executed well,” MCC Head Coach Robert Turner Jr. said of his team who rebounded from a difficult loss to Brookdale less than 24 hours earlier. “They ran their plays and it is really difficult for a team to guard five different options.”
Westchester (25-5) guard Porsha Postell led all scorers with 18 points, but the Lady Westcos had trouble in their own end as MCC forced 29 turnovers that led to 33 Cougar points.
“We stayed with our press a little longer,” Turner said after the program’s first ever victory at the national level. “The girls played much harder, much tougher and we shot well from the field.” The Cougars made 31 of 75 (41.3) shots from field and excelled at the line, making 79 % (11 of 14) of their shots.
MCC will play Anne Arundel (Arnold, MD) CC for fourth place Saturday afternoon at 3pm Central Standard Time. Anne Arundel (16-11) beat Northland (MN) CC 69-52 in the afternoon’s other consolation round game. The loser of that game will go home in sixth place.
MCC jumped out to a 6-0 lead for the second straight day, but this time made it stick. The Cougars, who never trailed in the game, took a 39-24 lead into the half, then hammered it home with the first seven points of the second half, outscoring the Lady Westcos 39-19 over the final 20 minutes.
Duncan-Clarke also had six steals played her typical well rounded game.
“She controlled the tempo of the game,” Turner said of the Cougar guard who tournament followers are starting to recognize as Shorty. “There wasn’t really anybody who could guard her out on the floor. And every opportunity she had to push the ball and find open people, she did.”
The tournament’s semi-final games – Onondaga CC (34-0) vs. Anoka Ramsey CC (27-5) and Madison Area TC (29-3) vs. Brookdale CC (26-0) will be played Friday night with the Championship game scheduled for Saturday night at 8pm.
