With March Madness underway our main focus for the next couple of weeks will be on college basketball as we watch Conference Tournaments play out followed of course by National Championships – read on to see who has already booked a berth. 

In NCAA Division I Emme Shearer scored 11 points, on 5 from 8 shooting, and also garnered 4 steals as Portland University Pilots beat Pacific 75-72 at the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas. The win means Portland will meet Gonzaga in the Grand Final – a clash between the two top seeds.

Emme has had an excellent season and deservedly won All-West Coast Conference recognition for the second time in her career. Having made the freshman team back in 2020-21 she this season received an honorable mention.

Kruz Perrott-Hunt (University of South Dakota Coyotes) was recently named to the Summit League honourable mention team. 

Unfortunately the Coyotes were pipped 78-60 by North Dakota State in the quarter-finals of the Summit League Tournament, the defeat bringing the curtain down on Kruz’s collegiate career.

The Tall Black guard scored 16 points in his 108^th and final game for the Coyotes taking his career tally to 1,104 points.

His Division I points tally has only been bettered by Kirk Penney, Callum McRae, Tai Webster and Craig Bradshaw while his 108 games places him 15^th on the New Zealand  Division I all-time appearance list.

Will the next time we see Kruz in action be in the Sal’s NBL?

Sam Mennenga (Davidson College), James Moors (Colorado State University), Zach Riley (Fordham University) and Taine Murray (University of Virginia) will all be involved in conference tournament play later this week.

In NCAA Division II play Eckerd College bowed out at the semi-final stage of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. Hannah Wentworth scored 6 points as #2 Eckerd went down 60-52 to #3 Lynn. 

Despite the defeat Hannah will be flying the New Zealand flag at the NCAA Division II National Championship this coming weekend - one of only two Kiwis represented at the champs.

It’s the second consecutive year that Hannah has made the National Champs while for Eckerd it is the sixth straight year they have advanced from Sunshine State Conference play.

Making a vital free-throw with just 4 seconds left on the clock Marvin Williams-Dunn (3 points) and Ouachita Baptist University ousted top seed Southern Nazarene from the Great American Conference Tournament winning 70-67. Nazarene had won 15 games on the bounce and were ranked 11^th nationally! Unfortunately OBU were defeated in the next round by Arkansas Tech 73-66.

In Junior College:

Boston Caldwell was named to the All-Yankee Conference First Team after averaging 15.8 points per game, shooting the 3-ball at an impressive 42.5% for Central Maine Mustangs. Despite carrying the #1 seeding the Mustangs were pipped 62-59 by #4 Southern Maine in the conference semi-finals. Boston capped a fine freshman season with 11 points and 9 rebounds in the defeat – he finished the season as the leading scorer for the Mustangs with 328 points in 21 appearances.

Kiani Saxon and Louisiana State University bowed out of the Region 23 Tournament in the second round defeated 72-57 by Meridian College. Kiani finished the season having averaged 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds, making 19 starts in 22 appearances.

Despite 14 points (7/8FG) from Dallas Clayton Missouri State West Plains also bowed out of tournament play early. The Grizzlies were beaten 73-60 by State Fair College at the Region 16 Tournament.

Also with 14 points was Leo Wenham as Southeast College completed the regular season with a 72-60 loss to Central Community College- Columbus.

Rashaan Smith (Western Nebraska College) and Parehuia Delamere (Western Texas College) will be involved in Regional Tournament play later this week.