By Paul Gotham
When the Monroe Community College men’s basketball team takes the floor today, they will go looking for third straight Region 3 Division II title. To accomplish that they need to beat two teams each for the third time this season.
Jerry Burns and his MCC Tribunes, ranked third in the nation, finished WNYAC play a perfect 12-0 and have won 13 straight.
“To me it’s really not as much as much about beating somebody the third time,” Burns said. “It’s always, to me, about one step at a time, and I just worry more about my team than worry about anyone else.”
Monroe opens the tournament Saturday at 5 pm against Erie Community College. Erie led by as many as 16 points before MCC rallied for an 87-77 victory on January 27. Monroe swept the season series with an 88-78 road triumph on February 19.
“I think we’ll do well if we come prepared to play,” Burns said. “I don’t look at it as beating someone three times. I just worry about those guys wearing the MCC jerseys.”
Anthony Hemingway (Brooklyn, N.Y./NIA School) leads four Tribs in double figures with 16.8 points per game. The sophomore guard hits better than 43 percent from the floor while handing out 3.3 assists per contest.
Freshman point guard Devin Coleman (Bridgeport, CT/Bassick) adds 10.7 points and 3.2 assists. He leads Monroe hitting two three-pointers a game.
The Tribunes 6-9 center Elijah Tillman (Garnerville, N.Y./North Rockland) chips in 11.2 points and 6.2 rebounds.
Michael Kelly Jr. (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fairfield Warde) scores 10 a game and averages 4.8 rebounds while providing the Tribunes with a lockdown defender.
Monroe closed the regular season with a 93-79 victory at Niagara County Community College. The win was number 600 for Burns in his 23-year career on East Henrietta Road.
“It just means you’ve been here way too long,” Burns joked about the milestone. “Let’s hope it gets better with time.”
Monroe (24-4/ 12-0) and Erie (15-8/ 6-5 WNYAC) tip off at 5 pm on Monagan Court located on the MCC Campus.
Dashawn King (Bronx, N.Y./ASE) scores 15.8 a game for Erie. Yusuf Yakubu (Nigeria/GSS Kargi) grabs 9.4 rebounds.
Genesee Community College (20-8/7-5) and Niagara County (20-9/7-5) will face each other in the second semi-final. The two teams split the season series with each winning on their home court. They will tip at 7 pm.
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Ervin Mitchell (Brooklyn, N.Y./ Brooklyn Collegiate) tallies 23.5 points per game for Genesee.
Eli Jones (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) leads Niagara with 19.4 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Monroe has won four of the last six Region 3 DII titles and 11 overall. The Tribs took three straight titles from 1993-95 and 2005-07. Tashawn Desir led the way as Monroe took the 2014 crown.
Sunday’s championship game is scheduled for 2:30 pm at MCC.
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