EMMIE BOESE
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Connors State just missed the NJCAA Division I national championship game by three points. The No. 19 seeded Cowboys beat Moberly, Salt Lake and Hutchinson to get to the semifinals. All teams seeded higher than them.
The No. 7 Triton College Trojans beat Connors State 87-84 Thursday to move on to the final game of the tournament. Head Coach Brian Burns is in his first year with the Trojans.
Sophomore guard Amar Augillard led Triton with 26 points. Freshman guard AJ Dixon scored 20. Freshman guard Khamani Cooper lead Connors State with 22. Sophomore forward Bradyn Hubbard scored 21.
Triton got off to a quick lead in the first half and led 51-37 at halftime. The Trojans shot 62.5% from the field and 50.0% from the 3-point line.
Connors State adjusted at halftime but dealt with foul trouble late in the game. Freshman forward Buddy Hammer Jr. received his fourth foul of the game with under 10 minutes left. Hammer Jr. was a presence for Connors State in the paint. He averaged 14 points a game during the tournament. Hammer Jr. scored a tournament high 22 points on Thursday.
With a little over a 1:30 to go, Connors State only trailed by two (86-84) after Hubbard made two free throws.
Sophomore guard Antonio Green Jr. got fouled and went to the line but missed both of his free throws for the Cowboys.
With about a minute left, Hammer Jr. went back into the game, but quickly fouled out. Triton's sophomore guard Dior Conner made 1-2 free throws to make it a three point game 87-84). Connors State had one more possession but the clock ran out.
Triton will play Barton in national championship on Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m.
Glen Grunwald and Rick Kraus will have the game play-by-play on Saturday on Country 102.9 FM and KWBW 1450 AM/98.5 FM.