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Tritons play for national berth

—Photo by Paul DeCoursey Iowa Central sophomore Tray Cross will lead the Tritons’ into today’s Region XI final against Southwestern.

CRESTON — Throughout the season, Tray Croft has constantly delivered on the court for Iowa Central.

Thursday night, with the season hanging in the balance, the likely All-American did so once more.

Croft sank a jumper with just under five seconds left, sending the Tritons into Saturday’s Region XI championship game vs. Southwestern. Tip is set for 3 p.m.

Iowa Central (21-11 overall) earned a 75-74 victory over fifth-ranked Kirkwood. The Spartans (25-7), who are the defending national champions, scored a similar road upset vs. Iowa Lakes, 102-93.

The win was the second this week away from Hodges Fieldhouse for the Tritons, as they knocked off Ellsworth on Tuesday. While Croft’s 31 points led all scorers, he wasn’t the only one to shoulder the load vs. the Eagles.

Freshman point guard Collin Shannon scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and Royshawn Webb added 16. Ten of Shannon’s points came after halftime when Iowa Central rallied from a 16-point deficit.

Croft leads Div. II in scoring, averaging 27.5 per game. He is fourth overall between all three levels of junior college basketball.

The Tritons were 12 of 30 from long-range vs. Kirkwood, pushing their season total for made triples to 365. They rank first in made 3-pointers per game at 11.4 and sixth in percentage.

Iowa Central is also the second ranked team in the nation in free throw percentage at 77.5 and are 10th averaging just 11 turnovers per contest.

Southwestern starts five guards who are all averaging over 10 points per game. Terence Shelby Jr., a redshirt sophomore, leads the way at 16 a night.

Shelby, TreVonte Diggs, Dan Ngoyi, D’Marqueyon Whittington and Nate Lee were all part of that team last year that went 36-1 overall.

The Spartans are 14-2 this year at home and average 90 points per game, which ranks 16th. They are right behind Iowa Central in made 3-pointers per game at 11.1 and rank first in free throw percentage.

During the regular season, the two teams split their meetings. The Tritons won on their home floor, 83-79, with Southwestern winning here, 89-84.

The NJCAA Div. II Championship is set for March 20-24 in Danville, Illinois from the Mary Miller Center.

IOWA CENTRAL (21-11)

G: Tray Croft, soph. 27.5

G: Collin Shannon, fr. 5.6

G: Thomas Akamarmoi, fr. 8.6

F: Dallas Bailey, fr. 13.1.

F: Royshawn Webb, fr. 10.7

SOUTHWESTERN (25-7)

G: Khallid Edwards, r-soph. 11.7

G: Shad Moran, fr. 10.7

G: Alijah Thomas, soph. 12.2

G: Gatdoar Kueth, fr. 10.2

G: Terence Shelby, Jr., r-soph. 16.2

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