Box Score
The Westmont Men's Basketball season came to an end today in the first round of the NAIA National Championship. The 25th ranked Warriors lost on a buzzer beater to the Tornadoes of #6 Talladega (25-6).
"This one stings – it stings in a different way from last year," said Westmont head coach John Moore. "We came back this year with a strong intent and desire to win a national championship. The team knew they were capable and came to prove that last year was not a fluke. I think we proved that today. Talladega is one of the top teams in the nation."
More than two minutes into the game, neither team had scored. Jamarquis Jones made the first basket to put the Tornadoes up 2-0. Westmont's Sean McDonnell finally got the Warriors on the scoreboard with 16:09 to play in the opening frame, tying the score at two points each.
The next nine points belonged to Talladega, resulting in a score of 11-2 with 13:41 remaining. A field goal by Cory Blau, however, and back-to-back threes by Hayden Anderson and Sean Harman sparked a 16-0 Warrior run that saw the Tornadoes go scoreless for six and one-half innings. The run also included a field goal by Olisa Nwachie, a free throw by Blau, a jumper by Bentz and another three by Anderson.
At halftime, Westmont held a slim 33-31 lead and the score remained close throughout the second half. Talladega took its first lead of the second half on a three-point bucket by Qua Doster with 9:22 to play. Nwachie recaptured the lead with a layup and Westmont remained ahead until Jones scored on a second-chance shot to tie the contest at 53-all with 4:29 remaining.
A pair of made free throws by McDonnell restored a Westmont lead but Jordan Washington responded in kind to tie the game at 55 with 3:42 left in regulation. Two minutes later, Doster broke the tie with a pair of free throws. Blau then scored on a layup to tie the game at 57.
With 53 second showing on the clock, Doster scored on a layup to put the Tornadoes up 59-57. Westmont brought the ball down the court and called a timeout – their last of the game. Upon resumption of play, Blau got the ball to Jerry Karczewski who drained a three-pointer from the corner, putting Westmont on top 60-59 with 31 seconds left.
Washington then scored on the opposite end with 15 second left, recapturing a 61-60 lead.
With five seconds left, Britton Williams put up a shot that missed, but Sean McDonnell pulled down the rebound and was fouled. McDonnell missed the first of two free throws but tied the game with the second.
"I like that Sean made the second one," said Moore. "The hardest one to make after you miss the first is the second one. I thought he did a really nice job of preparing himself for that second free throw, putting it all behind him and swishing it."
The ball was inbounded by the Tornadoes to Washington with 3.6 seconds to play. Washington drove the length of the court and attempted a layup. The ball bounced on the rim, then hung on the back flange before falling through the net to give Talladega the win.
The Achilles heel for the Warriors was the charity stripe were Westmont shot just 40 percent (8 of 20).
"I'm very disappointed for the team," said Moore. "It will hurt worse later on today. I felt we executed. I thought we played a team that was outstanding defensively. I thought we got the shots we wanted. We wanted to attack the rim once we got them to the double bonus. We just didn't make our free throws.
"Last year's game put a lot of fire in our belly," said Moore, referring to the team's loss in the championship game. "This year's game will put a very different fire in our belly. You never want to go out in the first round."
Cory Blau led the team in scoring with 19 points. Sean McDonnell added 15 points and six rebounds.
