Warriors’ big Homecoming win over Wabash clinches first GRAC title since 1991

INA, Ill. (Feb. 20, 2013) – The Rend Lake College Warriors really gave its Homecoming fans something to cheer about Wednesday night at Waugh Gymnasium.

Up 52-21 at the half, the Warriors stayed intense in the second half and logged a 98-72 win over Wabash Valley College. The win secures Rend Lake its first Great Rivers Athletic Conference title in more than 20 years.

Rend Lake College's Bronson Verhines (Woodlawn) beats Wabash Valley's Phillip Jackson to the ball Wednesday night at RLC's Homecoming. Rend Lake won 98-72 and clinched its first conference title in more than two decades.  Larger image attached.

Rend Lake College’s Bronson Verhines (Woodlawn) beats Wabash Valley’s Phillip Jackson to the ball Wednesday night at RLC’s Homecoming. Rend Lake won 98-72 and clinched its first conference title in more than two decades.

RLC big men Noel Allen (Guttenburg, N.J.) and Bronson Verhines (Woodlawn) shared high-point honors for their team with 17 each. Rend Lake again had 12 players contribute points, showing what great depth the team has this season. Cortez Macklin (Louisville, Ky.) finished with 12 points, Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Ky.) had 11 and Corey Ayala (Metropolis) put up 10. Dawson Verhines (Woodlawn) scored eight, Stephon Bryant (Louisville, Ky.) had seven, and Trice Whaley (Jeffersonville, Ind.) and Montez Williams (East St. Louis) each had five. Montez Buford (Louisville, Ky.) scored three points, Jesse Smith (Campbell Hill) had two and Dennis Froemling (Campbell Hill) had one point.

Wabash’s Chris Griffin led all scorers with 21. WVC’s Rontray Chavis and Thomas Freeney, Jr., each had 12.

The Lake didn’t perform as well from the free throw line as in other games. The Warriors hit 13 of 23 for 57 percent. But there wasn’t much Head Coach Randy House could find wrong with his team Wednesday night.

Rend Lake has three road games to go before wrapping up the regular season. It will finish conference play with John A. Logan College at 3 p.m. Saturday. The final two games will have postseason implications for The Lake as it heads to Lincoln College on Feb. 27 and John Wood on Feb. 28. RLC plays in the NJCAA DII Region XXIV Tournament at John Wood, which includes Lincoln and John Wood.

The Warriors are the only DII program in the GRAC. Its conference opponents are all NJCAA DI programs that will face off in the DI Region XXIV Tournament, March 5-9, at RLC.

 

NJCAA Men’s Basketball
Wabash Valley College
@ Rend Lake College
Feb. 20, 2013
Ina, Ill.
Waugh Gymnasium

WVC 72 (21-51) – Thomas 1 0-0 2 Chavis 5 2-5 12 Packer 2 0-0 4 Kinney 2 2-2 8 Freeney Jr. 4 2-6 12 Bridgeland 2 0-0 5 Braddock 1 2-2 4 Griffin 7 5-5 21

RLC 98 (52-46) – Froemling 0 1-2 1 Whaley 2 1-2 5 Ayala 5 0-0 10 Smith 1 0-0 2 Bryant 2 2-5 7 Allen 8 1-2 17 Taylor 3 4-6 11 D. Verhines 3 0-0 8 Macklin 5 1-3 12 Buford 1 1-1 3 B. Verhines 8 1-1 17 Williams 2 1-1 5

Free throws WVC 15-24 RLC 13-23. Fouls WVC 19 RLC 17. Three-pointers WVC 7 (Kinney 2, Freeney Jr. 2, Bridgeland, Griffin 2) RLC 4 (Bryant, D. Verhines 2, Macklin). Foul-outs None. Technicals RLC 1 (Taylor).

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