Red Ravens Advance to NJCAA Championship Game with 66-63 Defeat of Chipola

Hutchinson, Kan. - Playing in the NJCAA semifinal game, the #10 seeded Coffeyville Community College Red Raven Men's Basketball Team defeated the #6 Chipola Community College Indians 66-63 to advance to the NJCAA Championship game.  The Red Ravens will be appearing in the Championship game for the first time since the 2001-2002 team placed second in the tournament, losing by one point in the NJCAA Championship game.

For the majority of the year, the Ravens have been a second-half team that found a way to close out close games.  This semifinal matchup against Chipola sure followed that script.

Both teams started out slowly with the Ravens down on the scoreboard 14-10 ten minutes into the game.  The second ten minutes of the first half had the team's score at a little better clip, but neither team was able to pull substantially ahead.  Chipola led Coffeyville by a single point, 29-28, at halftime.

Coffeyville came out strong after halftime building an eleven-point, 42-31 lead at the 15:00 mark of the second half.  A made three-pointer by Raven freshman guard Love Bettis extended the Raven lead out to 47-33 at the 13:22 mark of the second half.  At this point Coffeyville was looking like they were going to run away with the game, however, Chipola had different ideas as they went on a five-minute 16-0 run that erased the fourteen-point Raven lead and replaced it with a 49-47 Chipola two-point lead.  Another three-pointer by Love broke the ice for Coffeyville and put them up 50-49 at the 8:19 mark of the second half.

As the clock wound down to two minutes to go, Coffeyville's sophomore guard Tylor Perry sank two free throws to pull the Ravens ahead 63-62 with 1:57 to go.  A Perry-made jumper pushed the Raven lead out to 65-62 with 1:11 remaining.  Chipola converted a free throw to pull with two at 65-63 with one minute remaining in the game.

After a missed Perry three-pointer, Chipola gathered the rebound and called time out with 24 seconds remaining in the game trailing by two points 65-63. 

Coming out of the time-out, Raven freshman center Hayden Brittingham made the play of the game in stealing the ball during the ensuing Chipola possession.  Coffeyville's Perry converted one of two free throws with a second left in the game to secure the 66-63 victory.

Top scorers for Coffeyville on the night included Love Bettis with 17, Perry with 14, and freshman center Blaise Keita with 11 points.

The NJCAA Championship game will be an all Kansas affair with #10 seed Coffeyville playing against the #8 seed Cowley College.  Coffeyville and Cowley are very familiar with each other having already played twice this year with each team losing on the opposing team's home court.

The NJCAA Championship game will be played at 6:00 pm on Saturday, April 24th in Hutchinson Kansas.