The Midland College Chaparrals saw their postseason run come to a close with a 94-82 loss to Walters State Community College in the second round of the NJCAA National Tournament.
The result concludes a strong season for Midland College, which entered the postseason as the No. 7 seed and finished with a 27-7 record. The Chaparrals started aggressively, led by Antoine Bo Hurns who scored 11 of the team’s first 15 points. Freshman Cayden led all scorers at halftime with 12 points, while Hurns added 11. Reed contributed five assists, three rebounds, and a steal in the opening half, according to a news release from Midland College.
Midland battled back multiple times in the second half after falling behind by as many as 11 points. The Chaparrals erased a late deficit and tied the game at 75-75 with just over five minutes remaining. However, with the score at 84-82 and two minutes left, Midland was unable to score down the stretch as Walters State pulled away, according to the same news release.
Shooting struggles proved costly for Midland College. The team shot 30.4% from three-point range and made only 62.5% of its free throws. Walters State capitalized at the stripe, making more free throws than Midland attempted. Despite this loss, head coach Isaac Fontenot-Amedee’s squad is expected to return several talented freshmen next season and continue building on this year’s momentum, according to a news release from Midland College.
Midland College has secured multiple NJCAA national titles in golf and basketball and expanded its campus facilities through bond issues and donations over time, according to its official website. Dr. Damon Kennedy leads Midland College as its president. The college focuses on providing student-centered pathways to academic and professional success through programs that promote excellence and opportunity while contributing to community development by empowering students to enhance their local areas.