Region Champs - Again!

For the fifth consecutive time, the Monroe Lady Mustangs basketball team has won the NJCAA, Division III Region XV Championship. On Sunday, March 2 they defeated Suffolk CC, 74-53 in the Region finals. Monroe now qualifies for the National Tournament, which will be played March 13-15 in Utica, NY.

Monroe (28-2) played a solid game in winning the title and their 103rd consecutive Region XV game. They jumped out to an early lead, held a 19-point margin at half, and never looked back in the 21-point win.

Region XV Player of the Year and eventual Tournament MVP Monet Johnson finished the game with 22 points and 18 rebounds. (She had 18 points and 18 rebounds in the 84-62 semifinal win against Queensborogh on Saturday). But when Johnson went to the bench with two fouls just 9 minutes into the game, Monroe's stifling defense kept the pressure on Suffolk, while the Lady Mustangs showed off their remarkable depth, getting 11 points and 3 rebounds from Octavia Jordan and 9 points and 4 rebounds from Samantha Johnson.

Tierra Cleaves chipped in with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and was named to the All-Tournament team.

Next week Monroe will participate in its fifth consecutive National Tournament under Coach Seth Goodman. Monroe has finished 7th, 2nd, 1st, and 3rd in the previous four years.

The box score to all the Lady Mustang playoff games are at:

http://www.monroecollege.edu/athletics/womensbasketball/schedule/results/suffolkfinals