Cowley Takes Care of Ranger, Advances To Title Game
Ranger College knew what they had to do, keep high octane Cowley College under one hundred points in their Semifinal contest, for the right to play in the Championship game.
Cowley has appeared in the tournament for the sixth time, and is making their 2nd consecutive trip. The Tigers were runner’s up in 1953 in their only other time they’ve reached the finale.
Ranger, trying to make the finals for the 2nd time in a row, this time under a different Head Coach. Although HC Larry Brown is no stranger to the Rangers. He was the helmsman at RC from 2011-2013, and is in the first year of his second stint at the college.
Vincennes, you remember, beat the Rangers in the 2019 title game, and covid cancelled last years tournament.
Ranger beat fellow Region 5 talent South Plains to get to this game. Cowley took down the undefeated and No. 1 seed Mineral Area Cardinals (MO).
Cowley, in their first two games of the tournament put up 134 and 105. Averaging 108 ppg, tops in the NJCAA, the Tigers had only scored below the Benjamin Franklin level 7 times in 27 games.
Wasting no time, the Tigers jumped on Ranger quickly, up 9 four minutes in. Half a period later, the lead had stretched to 21. Cowley cooled off a little, and Ranger, as all good teams do, made a run to close within 13, 55-42 at half.
Ranger was held in check most of the second half, a couple of spurts kept Cowley honest, but the closest they ever got in the last half was 9, with 12:07 remaining. In an attempt to rest some legs, Cowley pulled off the full court pressure after regaining an 18 point advantage in the last 7 minutes.
Ranger never quit, and were outscored only 61-55 in the second frame, but Cowley’s pace took its toll. Final score: Cowley 116 – Ranger 97. The first team in the tournament who Did Not score 100 against the Tigers.
Head Coach Tommy DeSalme of the victorious Tigers, when asked about how concerned he was with his teams defensive average of 96 ppg, “I don’t care. We have really good depth. We played 8 over ten minutes tonight, and that will probably be 10 tomorrow. Our team led the nation in defense one year but we weren’t here (national tourney.” DeSalme added, “Its a style nobody wants to play against. Its a style we want to play, and we have a really good defensive team. But its a pace driven thing.”
Cowley has now compiled a total of 355 points in their three games. The tournament record for most points by one team in four games is 450. That record was set in 1977 by Lawson State CC, Birmingham, AL. Cowley needs 95 in the Championship game to tie that record. Based on their track record, I’m going with the over on that one.
Moving into the championship for the second time in school history, Cowley now awaits the winner of the second semifinal. Both Chipola and Coffeyville play a little more deliberate style, but each is capable of putting up big numbers.
The win puts Cowley’s record at 24-4. Not bad after losing 3 of their first four games. Dalen Ridgnal (6’6″ SO from Kansas City, MO) was the pace car for Cowley, chalking up a dub-dub of 26 points, and a game high 14 rebounds. In support of Ridgnal, Cevin Clark (6’0″ SO a hometown Arkansas City product) dropped in 22 (7-14 from the field including 6-13 behind the line).
Other Tigers in doubles include: Moun’Tae Edmundson with 19, Mikel Henderson had 16, and Shemarri Allen 10. Allen also passed out 7 assist. Cowley won the rebounding battle and turnover margin.
Ranger falls to 22-5, despite the fact that they outshot the winners, 50 to 46%, both making 35 but Ranger on 6 fewer attempts. Like they have all year, Cowley fired long range jumpers at will (44), hitting on 20 (46%). Those ten more threes than Ranger played a big role in the outcome.
Leading scorer for Ranger was Keisei Tominaga (6’2″ SO from Japan) good for 26, splitting game high with Rdignal of Cowley. Tominaga also provided 4 assist. Nika Metskhvarishvili put in 22, with Trey Tennyson adding 16. Leading rebounder was Jorell Saterfield catching 12.
