Lakers claim first national title
Hickory, North Carolina- Lake Land captured its first 2021 NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship after defeating the fourth-seeded Johnson County Cavaliers 53-49 at the Tarlton Complex, Saturday evening.
The 2021 championship marks the Lakers' 4th national tournament appearance in program history, each of which under head coach David Johnson. He wins his first championship in his 19th season at the helm.
The national champion Lakers end the 2021 season with a 24-2 overall record.
Lakers near perfect from the charity stripe
Lake Land played outstanding defense all tournament, not allowing more than 55 points in any of the four games they played.
The championship final was tight throughout as the Lakers tough defense kept Johnson County's offense at bay. The point differential never grew larger than five.
The Lakers dominated in turnovers and points off turnovers, forcing 18 and scoring 23 points, while holding Johnson County to just 4.
Lakers Route to Victory
Lake Land earned the two seed and was matched up against #15 Lackawanna to open the tournament. They won the opening game 75-53.
In the quarterfinal round, they faced the highest-scoring offense in the league, tenth-seeded USC Salkehatchie. They managed to hold on, winning 61-55.
In the national title contest, tournament MVP Harley Barry posted a 15-point performance, adding 6 rebounds and 3 steals.
After defeating Parkland in the season rubber match, 68-47, the Lakers earned a spot against Johnson County who entered as the at-large after losing the District Championship, its only loss of the season up until that point.
Throughout the five-day national tournament, Lake Land displayed a good balance of offense and defense, averaging just over 65 points a game while holding its opponents to 51 points a game
Fourth championship finals appearance for the Cavaliers
The 2021 NJCAA DIII Women's Basketball Championship marked the 12th national tournament appearance in school history for Johnson County, tied for 4th most all-time in DII.
In his 13th season at the helm of the Cavaliers' program, head coach Ben Conrad coached Johnson County to a 22-2 final record in 2021.
Johnson County had by far the most interesting journey to the title game. The Cavaliers had concluded the regular season ranked first in the nation, holding a perfect 19-0 record and looking poised to make a deep tournament run. Things were shaken up as the Cavs' lost to Kansas City Kansas in the district championship, a team they had beaten twice prior this season. They were selected to receive the sole at-large bid into the tournament, being tabbed the four-seed.
Johnson County opened the tournament with a victory over No. 13 Grand Rapids, defeating the Raiders in grand fashion, 86-49.
The Cavaliers faced No. 12 Iowa Central in the quarterfinal round. Johnson County narrowly defeated the Tritons 63-60 to advance after full-court heave at the buzzer fell just short for Iowa Central.
Johnson County went on to face Illinois Central in the semifinal, another team who did not receive an automatic bid into the tournament; the Cougars being placed in the tournament as an alternate due to Covid issues. The Cavaliers trailed for the first seven minutes of the first quarter, but managed to regain the lead and not look back, winning 69-56.
Bringing the title back to Mattoon
Lakers head coach David Johnson was named the Coach of the Tournament after leading his team to a national title in his 19th year with the program.
Lake Land landed two other student-athletes on the All-Tournament team: Kamaria Grant and Tresoir Newson, both sophomores.
The All-Tournament team also included Fama Thiam (Pima), Keiana Delaney (Arkansas State Mid-South), Ashley Tull (Kirkwood), Mariah Igus (USC Salkehatchie), Naomi McDaniel (Parkland), Peyton Crowe (Parkland), Derria Edwards (Illinois Central), Kayla Gordon (Illinois Central), Jaylen Townsend (Johnson County), and Kierra Prim (Johnson County)