No. 1 Trojans handle Monroe, 89-71; play Champlain for District III Crown

Steve Luse, Times-News Sports Writer

Cumberland Sunday Times-News, Sunday March 9, 1997

BURLINGTON, Vt.- The No. 1 ranked Allegany College Trojans will be facing a unbeaten Champlain College team that is ranked No. 1 in the nation on its own court when the teams play for the NJCAA District III title and the trip to Kansas for the National Tournament in the Northeast Shootout. Tip off is 2 o'clock.

Allegany, which was No. 1 in the final NJCAA poll, defeated Monroe College of Rochester, N.Y. 89-71 in the first game yesterday and the Trojans are now 31-1 with a 29-game winning streak.

Champlain will also be taking a 29-game win streak into today's game after exploding in the second half of a 100-74 victory over Westchester (N.Y.) College to avenge a loss in last year's district finals.

Mike Renfro scored 25 points and Quincy Gause came on strong in the second half and had 24 as Allegany defeated Monroe for the third time this season. All five starters scored in double figures with Michael Horton scoring 12, Rexus Nix 11 and Terrell McKelvy 10.

The game was almost a replay of the first two meetings that Allegany won 82-66 and 90-71. Monroe came out again and got in early foul trouble with its physical style of play and the Tribunes found themselves down by 16 points at halftime.

"They played the same way they played in the first two games," said Allegany coach Bob Kirk. "They are very physical and they do a lot of pushing and shoving. It was not a fun game when you have to play tomorrow. Our players kept their poise and played hard."

Renfro connected on five of his eight three-point attempts and converted all eight of his foul shots in one of his best shooting games of the season. The 6-3 sophomore guard from Indianapolis also contributed eight assists, seven rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot. "It was another great team effort, but Mike Renfro probably played the best game since he has been here," said Kirk. "I don't even know how many points he had, but it was the best he has played on defense and he also had a great game rebounding."

"I just always go out and try to play the best I can play," said Renfro. "I knew we had to play hard for 40 minutes and we had to establish our defense early. I think we did that. They like to play physical, but I think that picked up our intensity. We also played together."

Kirk also applauded the effort of Gause, who hit 11 of 15 shots from the floor along with leading the team in rebounding with 11.

"People never give Quincy Gause enough credit and he has been an outstanding addition to this team," said Kirk. "He practices hard and goes out and plays hard all the time. He had a big game for us."

"They were trying to bang us on almost every play and I was just trying to get to the basketball before they could," said Gause, a 6-6 sophomore from Marion, S.C. "I was able to do that because I was quicker. They played hard and we played hard and we were just the better team."

The teams traded buckets in the early action and Allegany was leading by only two points at 16-14 after eight minutes. But Monroe already had 13 personal fouls at that stage.

Renfro then started a 10-point run with four foul shots and ended it with a three-pointer as Allegany built a 28-14 lead at the 9:08 mark. A rebound follow by McKelvy made it 36-30 with 4:25 left in the half that ended with Allegany leading 42-26.

Shamar Johnson kept Allegany from turning it into a rout with some hot shooting in the second half and finished with 20 points. John Osby had 18 points and Jovan Carter 13 for the Tribunes who closed the season with a 22-10 record.

Renfro hit his first two three-pointers of the second half to give Allegany a 48-28 lead. But the Tribunes didn't fold and Johnson cut the lead to 10 points at 57-47 with 14 minutes left on a three-pointer and a short jumper.

A rebound follow by Gause and another Renfro three made it 68-52 with 10 minutes left. Monroe was able to climb back to within 11 again at 76-65 with 2:52 remaining. The Trojans scored the final seven points with McKelvy putting the exclamation point on the win with a powerful dunk with six seconds on the clock.

"We got down early and just could never get over the hump," said Monroe coach Jerry Burns. "We play ugly, but that has been our style all year. Allegany has a great team and when we did make a run they came up with the big plays. You can't get down by 16 against a team like that that deserves to be No. 1."

Champlain, which had not played in two weeks due to getting a bye into the district tourney, got off to a cold start on a snowy Vermont day and trailed Westchester 9-0. The visiting Westcos were leading 35-34 at halftime, but the second half was a different story. With 6-7 All-American Terrell Baker leading the way, the Beavers took charge and never looked back. Baker finished with 28 points. Vincent Mitchell had 25 and Ashanti Hall 22. Champlain and Allegany have played two previous times in Cumberland with the Trojans taking both games 81-71 in 1990 and 100-64 in 1991. It was the Beavers' only regular-season loss in 1991 and they went on to finish third in the National Tournament.

Allegany is seeking its eighth trip to Hutchinson, Kan., after finishing second in the national tournament last season. Champlain has been to three national tourneys.