The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NCAA Division II basketball tournaments are underway across respective conferences across.

Malachi McCoy and the Benedict Tigers have advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

The Tigers advanced with an 83-67 win over LeMoyne-Owen last night at the Rock Hill Indoor Athletic Complex in Rock Hill, South Carolina. McCoy finished with 16 points.

In their only previous meeting this season, Benedict defeated LeMoyne-Owen, 69-62, on December 13.McCoy had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Lathaniel Bastian received conference-wide recognition but his San Angelo State Rams were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Lone Star Conference Tournament.

The Rams lost 83-74 to West Texas A&M last night at the quarterfinals at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.

Bastian finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds.

He helped the Rams have an advantage in the paint, where they scored 42 of their 73 points.

The Rams will now wait for the NCAA DII selection show to see if their postseason run will continue in the national tournament. The Rams were ranked fifth in the most recent south-central poll, the top eight teams secure a bid.

Bastian, in his first season with the Rams, was named an LSC Honorable Mention selection.

He led the Rams in rebounding and blocked shots, averaging 7.8 boards and 1.4 blocks per game. He has pulled down 219 rebounds, 90 on the offensive glass. He averaged 11.3 points per game on 61 percent shooting from the field.

Jonathan McFall and the Slippery Rock University men’s basketball team’s season came to an end Monday with a 72-55 loss at California University (Pa.) in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.

McFall scored 14 in the finale and the team finished the year 17-12.

In his first season with SRU he averaged 13 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals and one block per game.

He also shot 52 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free throw line.

McFall transferred to SRU after a year with Chowan and after a two-year stint with Catawba Valley Community College Red Hawks.

McFall recently made his senior men’s national team debut for The Bahamas at the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas Pre-Qualifiers for Group A with an undefeated record and advanced to the next round.