Basketball season not over despite loss in Region 10 final

The Virginia Peninsula Community College men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker to Sandhills Community College in the Region 10 tournament final Feb. 23. Despite the 87-85 overtime loss, the Gators (14-9) advanced to next weekend's Mid-Atlantic District tournament at Sandhills. The winner of that four-team event advances to the NJCAA national tournament in Herkimer, N.Y., on March 12-15.

Sunday's game at Patrick & Henry Community College in Martinsville was the third time the third-seeded Gators and top-seeded Flyers met this season with each winning on the other's home court.

The Gators were up by six with a little more than a minute to go in regulation but couldn't hang on. After the Flyers hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 76 with nine seconds left, the Gators had a chance for the win, but missed an open look.

In the overtime, the Gators had a lead with less than a minute but again couldn't close it out. The Gators had a chance to win it but missed a last-second 3-pointer.

"A tough one," Gators coach Chris Moore said. "It was a hard-fought game. We did everything we were supposed to to put ourselves in position to win. We just have to close it out."

The Gators advanced to the final with a semifinal win Feb. 22 over second-seeded Patrick & Henry. Keshaun Johnson (Nansemond River High School/Suffolk) had 28 points and 15 rebounds against the Patriots to avenge two regular-season losses.

"We got good minutes from everybody," Moore said of Saturday's win.

In the Mid-Atlantic District tournament, the Gators will play Owens Community College (14-15) from Ohio on Saturday, and Sandhills (26-5) will face Pennsylvania Highlands Community College (16-15). The winners advance to Sunday's championship game.

Despite not coming away with a region championship, Moore was pleased with his team's performance.

"We played well. We stayed together," he said. "I thought we played really, really hard. The guys really wanted it. It hurt of course."

Last year, the Gators' first in the NJCAA, they lost in the first round of the Region 10 tournament, not even making the semifinals.

"We made it to the championship (this year), which was much better so we're making progress," he said. "We not only made it to the championship, but we've got a chance to play in March."

For more information on VPCC, visit www.vpcc.edu.