COLUMBIA STATE IS HEADED TO "HUTCH"

 The Columbia State Chargers put a statement on the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII tournament with a solid  vicoty over the Panthers of Pellissippi State.  With the win, the Chargers advance to the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in Hutchinson (KS) which will run from March 22-29.It will be Coach Winston Neals first trip to "Hutch" as his previous region championship happened during the COVID epidemic.

Pellissippi jumped out a five point lead in the first five minutes before Columbia came back and eventually tie the score at 17 with 12 and half minutes to play.  The Chargers would go on a 18-2 run in the last ten minutes of the half to go into the lockerrooms up 44-22.  Colujmbia connected on 14 of 33 (42.4%) shots compared to Pellissippi's 8 of 31 (25.8%).  The Chargers had poutrebounded the Panthers 31 to 19 in the half.

 The Chargers would expand their lead to 30 at 63-33 midway through the second half.Pellissippi would go on arun and cut back down to 22 at 64-42 with six minutes to play. Columbia would mainatain that lead through the remainder of the contest.  For the game, the Chargers hit 38.8% (26 of 67) from the field while the Panthers were 18 of 57 (31.6%).  Columbia won the rebound battle by a 58 to 30 margin.

Columbia had two players reach double figures with both tournament MVP Mahki Wright and Thaddeus Johnson each scoring 11 points apiece.  The Chargers had four other players with eight points.  Emmanuel Allen led the team with 13 rebounds.  Johnson and Keith Ellis each had three assists and seven players had at one steal.  For the Panthers, they had tow reach double figures with Taqvion Pride with 15 and Jonathan Caicedo scoring 11 points.  Pride would also lead the team with eight rebounds and two steals.  Jo0Jo Lyles had three assists in the game.

MAHKI WRIGHT - TCCAA/NJCAA REGION VII TOURNAMENT MVP

COLUMBIA STATE - TCCAA/NJCAA REGION VII CHAMPIONS

PELLISSIPPI STATE - TCCAA/NJCAA REGION VII RUNNERUP