Platteville
Dynasty Continues
By Pat Coleman
Editor, D3hoops.com
SALEM, VA. -- In a game that featured 20 lead changes, two extra periods and a record crowd, Wisconsin-Platteville finished the 1990s in classic fashion, defeating Hampden-Sydney (Va.) 76-75 in double overtime to claim its fourth Division III men's basketball championship of the decade.
The
Pioneers (30-2) won the game without their trademark three-point
shooting, taking the lead for good on one of the oldest plays in
basketball, a back-door reverse layup by junior backup guard Colin
Gassner with 20 seconds left in the game.
"Our whole offense is predicated on a lot of basket cuts," said UW-Platteville head coach Bo Ryan, who has been at the helm for all four titles. "Our guys don't quit doing the little things and that finally opened up."
Hampden-Sydney, the hometown favorite only a two-hour drive away, had two shots at the basket on the ensuing possession but hit iron twice. After Blake Knutson missed the front end of a one-and-one with 6.2 seconds left, Jeremy Harris forced up a shot that didn't fall.
"We had several great chances to win," said Hampden-Sydney head coach Tony Shaver, "but didn't make that one big play."
"I think the players did a fantastic job defending that last play" said Ryan. "They had a couple of looks at the basket, but they weren't good looks."
Hampden-Sydney (29-3) led 66-63 with 36 seconds left in the first overtime before Pioneer power forward Mike Jones drilled a three-pointer to force a second extra period.
Shaver said, "It's amazing the difference between winning and losing. Jones stuck a great shot, the toughest I've seen in a long time."
"I thought I was open, got the look and was able to knock it down," said Jones, who had attempted only seven three-pointers before tonight. He finished with a game-high 21 points and 16 rebounds.
After shooting 53% in the first half, the Tigers shot 37.5% the rest of the way. Platteville shut down Hampden-Sydney's transition game, which produced six points in the first 20 minutes and none in the final 30. Chris Fox led four Tigers in double figures with 18 points on 4-for-6 three-point shooting.
"That was one of the best-coached, well-drilled, fundamentally sound teams I've coached against in 15 years at Wisconsin-Platteville," said Ryan. "But we had something special tonight."
NOTES: The game was the first double-overtime contest in the 25-year history of the Division III men's basketball championship. . . . Platteville junior guard Merrill Brunson was named the Final Four MVP. . . . The appearance by Hampden-Sydney was the first by a South Region team since Centre finished fourth in 1989. . . . UW-Platteville became the first team to win consecutive championships since North Park (Ill.) won three titles in a row from 1978-80. North Park has also won the most championships (five) in the history of Division III men's basketball. . . . Platteville shot 4-for-21 from three-point range after shooting 41.9% the rest of the season. . . . The 4,461 paid attendance was the largest in the 25-year history of the D-III title game.