Kirkwood Edges Parkland for Fourth National Title

In a heart-stopping finish at the NJCAA Division II National Championship, Kirkwood held off Parkland to secure a 55-54 victory and claim the national title.

The Eagles (33-3), started strong and took a 29-24 lead into halftime. Despite shooting just 38.5% from the field and struggling from beyond the arc (11.1% for the game), Kirkwood's dominance in the paint proved decisive. They outscored Parkland 36-26 inside and received a crucial boost from their bench, which contributed 26 points compared to Parkland's five.

Germaine Benson led Kirkwood with 12 points, going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, while Lucas Lueth added 10 points and seven rebounds. Tyler Netolicky was highly efficient, scoring 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Parkland (33-3), despite a valiant effort, fell just short. JaMonte Williams was outstanding, leading all scorers with 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Drew Lewis Jr. added 14 points.

The game's intensity was highlighted by Parkland's second-half push, where they outscored Kirkwood 30-26. However, the Eagles' defensive effort, and holding firm in the final moments, sealed the win. With 10 lead changes and six ties, uit came down to the very end as Parkland tied the score with 29 seconds remaining. The Cobras then fouled the Eagles with one second left. Traijan Sain sank one free throw to win the game for Kirkwood.

Lueth was named the Pin Ryan Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. In four games he averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.25 blocks per game. He was joined on the All-Tournament team by his teammates Sain and Colby Dolphin. 

With this victory, Kirkwood picked up their fourth NJCAA National Championship in Men's Basketball in school history and their first since 2019. It was head coach Tim Sandquist's first championship in his sixth season with the program. He joins Bryan Petersen (2016, 2019) and Chris Jans (1998) as the others to lead Kirkwood to national championships. Sandquist was named the 2025 Coach of the Tournament.

Tournament Schedule:

Second Round - #3 Kirkwood def. #14 Kansas City Kansas, 73-55 - Box Score

Quarterfinals - #3 Kirkwood def. #6 Macomb, 78-77 (3OT) - Box Score

Semifinals - #3 Kirkwood def. #7 Kalamazoo Valley, 88-73 - Box Score 

Championship - #3 Kirkwood def. #4 Parkland, 55-54 - Box Score