NOVA men’s basketball wins first state championship

CHESAPEAKE, VA (March 6, 2011) – Northern Virginia Community College defeated Thomas Nelson Community College 78-71 on Sunday afternoon to capture the 2011 Virginia Community College System men’s basketball championship held at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Virginia.

NOVA Team Picture at 2011 VCCS Tournament

Trailing 17-4 in the opening minutes, NOVA rallied to secure the College’s first ever VCCS Basketball Championship. TNCC led 42-41 at halftime.

“We certainly made it a dramatic finish,” said fifth-year head coach Mike Fitzmaurice. “However, I am proud of the way we responded with our backs to the wall. We didn’t overreact and kept our composure. ”

NOVA (26-5) closed out the season with 22 consecutive victories and completed the VCCS regular season schedule with a perfect 10-0 record. NOVA’s last setback was to Cecil (MD) College, currently ranked sixth nationally by the National Junior College Athletic Association, back on December 2.

“This team never felt the pressure of the winning streak,” said Fitzmaurice. “Emotion can be your worst enemy or your best friend. Fortunately, it was our friend this year. We played the entire season with an every possession matters mentality and it certainly paid off.”

Tomas Camera led five scorers in double figures with 17 points for NOVA. Westley Ford added 14 points, and Rich Waldron netted 12 points. Bobby Mott and Jonathan Ball each contributed 10 points.

TNCC was paced by Melvine Horne’s 15 points.

Rich Waldron MVP and Coach Fitzmaurice

Waldron (Edison High School/Alexandria, VA) was selected as the 2011 VCCS Tournament Most Valuable Player. Camera (T.C. Williams High School/Alexandria, VA) and Ford (Paul VI Catholic High School/Arlington, VA) were named to the all-tournament team.

NOVA reached the championship game by defeating Germanna Community College, 93-54, in Friday’s quarterfinal game and then defeated Lord Fairfax Community College, 98-84, in the semifinal on Saturday afternoon.

The NOVA women’s basketball team fell to tournament host Tidewater Community College, 57-47, in the championship game. Kimberly Walton (Gar-field High School/Woodbridge, VA) and April Neal (Wakefield High School/Arlington, VA) were named to the women’s VCCS All-Tournament Team.

TNCC (71) – DaVonte Jackson, 3; Sean Johnson, 14; Melvine Horne, 15; Darnell Berry, 6; Tyrone Berry, 14; Dana Jackson, 12; Danta Cooper, 7.
NOVA (78) – Gavin Peterson, 7; Westley Ford, 14; Bobby Mott, 10; Jonathan Ball, 10; Dominque Goodwin, 4; Tomas Camera, 17; Richard Waldron, 12; Jonathan Gaston, 5.
HALFTIME: TNCC 42; NOVA 41
RECORDS: NOVA 26-5; TNCC 11-6

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