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Marion County College Report

Westbrook and Wells Ready for NJCAA Division II Regional Tournament

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Daniel L. Chamness

 

Centralia grads Carlton Westbrook and Devan Wells are learning the meaning of new life.

While Lincoln Land Community College has struggled to a 7-23 mark this year, it does not mean anything when the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Men’s Basketball Regionals begin this week. LLCC will open the tournament at Rend Lake College on Wednesday night.

Westbrook, a LLCC sophomore, missed eight games this year due to a broken hand. However, the former Orphans star says his right hand is completely healed.

"I am looking forward to the regionals," he said. "The season record does not mean much right now, we just need to play. Personally, I feel very happy with my offense but I need to improve on my defensive skills for next year. We were hoping for a better season, but I would love to win some games in the postseason."

The 5-foot-10 guard has been one of the leaders on the team, scoring 341 points and grabbing 59 rebounds for respective averages of 15.5 and 2.7. He also has 54 assists and a team-leading 34 steals. The sophomore has hit 110-of-250 field goals, 104-of-140 free throws and has struck 27 times from beyond the 3-point arc.

Wells, a 6-foot-4 freshman forward, has scored 231 points and pulled down 89 rebounds for game averages of 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. Wells has played in 28 games and has 41 assists and 15 steals. Wells has hit 78-of-202 field goals and 40-of-58 free throws. Wells made over half of his shots from beyond the arc, hitting 35 treys.

"The first couple of games were pretty rough on me as a player," Wells said. "I know that I need to get much stronger for next year. Having Carlton here made it an easier transition for me. This year, I wanted to play more consistent and I want to be stronger with the ball. Carlton is great with the ball and protecting it."...

Former Salem Wildcats basketball players John Fischer and Dakota Tucker were both in double figures when their respective teams faced off against each other this past wek. Tucker, who suits up for Blackburn, finished with 18 points on 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Of his six field goals, four were from beyond the arc. He also had four rebounds and two steals.

Fisher scored fewer points but his team, Greenville College, won the battle, beating Blackburn 105-78. Fischer, a GC senior, had 12 points, five rebounds and two assists. Fischer made 3-of-7 field goals and 5-of-7 free throws. Greenville is 11-12 overall and 7-7 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Blackburn is 4-19 overall and 2-13 in the SLIAC. ...

Joey Parker scored 13 points to help Lindenwood defeat Central Methodist 65-56. The former Centralia player, who also finished with seven assists, four steals and three rebounds, drained 3-of-6 from the field and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. Parker finished with two treys. In Lindenwood's 61-45 triumph over Avila, Parker finished with four points, four assists and two rebounds. Lindenwood is 20-8 overall and 12-6 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. ...

Centralia grad Matt Shaw scored 10 points, but it was not enough to power his professional team, Illiabum Clube, beyond Vagos Norbain Lusavouga. In the 70-54 Illiabum Clube loss, Shaw hit 4-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from the stripe. He completed the double-double with 11 rebounds and three steals. Illiabum Clube located in Portugal is 6-8. ...

Andy Wolff, a Centralia resident and Metro East Lutheran grad, helped McKendree get back on the winning track after the Bearcats lost to Missouri Baptist. Since the 81-78 loss to MBU, the Bearcats have defeated Williams Baptist (80-55) and Harris-Stowe State (67-64). In the win over WBC, Wolff finished with six points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. He was held to two points, two rebounds and two assists in the loss to HSSU. McKendree is 22-6 overall and 11-1 in the American Midwest Conference. ...

Baseball

McKendree University has opened its baseball season and won the season’s first two games over Mid-Continent University. In the 6-4 Bearcat triumph, former Odin hurler Alex Young, a McKendree junior, worked 4 2/3 innings, allowed four earned runs on nine hits. He fanned one batter and walked one. He did not get the decision.

Salem grad Tyson Moore, a McKendree senior infielder, was 3-for-4 with a double in McKendree’s 15-0 win. Moore drove home three and scored twice. The Bearcats are 2-0. ...

Women's Basketball

Ellen Young exploded for 23 points for Southern Indiana during a 74-66 win over Kentucky Wesleyan. The Salem grad hit 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from the stripe, adding five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Young hit 50 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 4-of-8 treys. In USI's 75-72 double overtime win over Northern Kentucky, Young finished with 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. She had five field goals (three treys) and six free throws. USI is 20-7 overall and 11-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. They have won their last three games and five of the last six. ...

Danielle Miller was in double figures in both of Dominican University's games this week. The former Centralia Annie scored 15 points in Dominican's 72-66 loss to Alverno College. The DU sophomore hit 5-of-12 from the field and 5-of-8 from the stripe. She also had six rebounds and two assists. The starting forward finished with 10 points and five rebounds as Dominican was topped 96-61 by Wisconsin Lutheran. Miller played 19 minutes and hit 5-of-7 field goals. Dominican is 8-16 overall and 4-14 in the Northern Athletics Conference. ...

Centralia grad Kristin Barrow, a DePauw University senior, scored two points in her three minutes of play as DePauw downed Rhodes College 64-44. DePauw, a NCAA Division III team, has won 18 consecutive games and are currently ranked 16th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and 17th in the d3hoops.com poll. ...