Basketball team 4th at nationals

The North Lake Blazer Basketball team ended the season on a nine-game winning streak, that won them a MAC Conference Men’s Championship and took them to a 4th place finish in the NJCAA Div. III National Championship in Delhi, New York.

In the first game of the national tournament, the Blazers suffered a disappointing loss to Quinsigamond Community College 72-67. The Blazers did not let that disappointing loss break their spirits and immediately bounced back to win their next two games.

They defeated Montgomery College-Rockville from Washington D.C., 85-73, and in their third game the Blazers defeated Fulton Montgomery Community College very convincingly 88-70. With those two wins, the Blazers went on to place fourth out of 97 teams in the division. This is a very big achievement for the Blazers this year considering they only had one returning player from last year’s championship team.

Coach Tim McGraw said, “I was very proud of our guys for the way they finished the season.” Overall, the Blazers finished the season 22-12. Mc- Graw also pointed out that 9 of the 12 losses came from scholarship granting teams.

Several players received post-season honors. Tim Nelson received Alltournament at the national tournament, and also was named first team All-Conference. Brandon Brooks was also named first team All-Conference. Duran Brownlow was named second team All- Conference, and Ehis Osunde was All-Conference honorable mention.

McGraw said he’s thankful for all the support given to the Blazers basketball team, and he’s already looking forward to next year.

“We are already busy in recruiting quality players for next year and also helping our sophomores get opportunities to play at four-year universities.”

The Blazers are done for this season, but are already working towards an explosive season next year.

— Freddie Brown is a journalism student majoring in psychology.