LSUs Lloreda Terrific In Win

HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- Great players are often relied upon to make big plays and turn in big-time performances. And on a night when most of the Dixie State College (UT) squad was sluggish, the Rebels leaned heavily on 6-8 sophomore forward Jaime Lloreda.

Lloreda, the Louisiana State bound power forward, is going to make Tiger fans very happy. He is one terrific talent. Lloreda came through on both ends of the floor on Friday night in a national semifinal game against Schoolcraft College of Michigan.

Lloreda pumped in 30 points and blocked a potential game tying shot by the Ocelots' Jevon Clark in the final 3.3 seconds as Dixie held on for a come from behind 72-69 victory.

The win gave the Rebels a slot in Saturday night's NJCAA Championship game against Coffeyville C.C. of Kansas, which defeated defending national champ Wabash Valley a bit earlier on Friday night.

Dixie trailed for much of the contest against Schoolcraft, falling behind 38-24 with 17:28 to play following a Clark three pointer.

The Rebels rallied behind the inspired play of Lloreda and slashing guard Rod Prater, using a 30-15 surge to take a brief 54-53 lead with 7:26 to play. Prater capped the run with a basket and an assist to teammate Alfred Williams, whose three point play gave Dixie the one point lead.

For the next several minutes, the teams exchanged leads, until the Rebels took the lead for good at the 3:43 mark on a three point play by Lloreda. Lloreda's basket and free throw gave Dixie a 63-60 lead, which moments later grew to 68-62 following a Wes Edwards' stickback with 1:55 remaining.

A pair of free throws from swingman Emir Medunjanin and a three point play by Mike Williams drew the Ocelots to within 69-67.

With the Rebels clinging to a 72-69 lead following one of two free throws from point guard Kevin Woodberry, Schoolcraft had a chance to force overtime with a timely trey.

Clark got the ball on the left side and took a few dribbles before attempting to hoist the jumper. He was swiftly met by Lloreda, who alertly grabbed the ball as he blocked Clark's shot, then called time out with 3.3 seconds to play so that Dixie could retain possession.

Moments later, the Rebels worked the ball up to Prater off the inbound pass, and he dribbled out the clock to ensure Dixie's slot in Saturday's title game.

Prater was the Rebels' second leading scorer with 14 points and three assists, while Woodberry added 11 points in the win. Woodberry's midrange jumper with 20.2 seconds to play gave Dixie a four point lead and more importantly, required that Schoolcraft get at least two more possessions to tie the game or win it in regulation.

Williams led Schoolcraft with 18 points and 15 rebounds, but was one of four Ocelots seriously affected by foul trouble in the second half. Forward Yaku Moton-Spruill (10 points) and point guard Rulon Harris (10 points, six assists) also played vital roles for Schoolcraft in defeat.

Harris, who hit big momentum shots all night long, fouled out with 3:17 to play. His absence certainly hurt the Ocelots' chances for victory, as did Dixie's 32-16 edge from the free throw line (the Rebels hit 18 of 32 compared to Schoolcraft's 12 of 16).

"We want to get to the free throw line," explained Dixie Head Coach Jeff Kidder. "It was a six point difference there, and that really won the game for us."

"We don't want to get away from that," Kidder continued. "A lot of teams shoot a lot of threes and are successful, but I kind of go in the other direction."

Schoolcraft Head Coach Carlos Briggs was visibly upset at the disparity in fouls called against his club, and voiced his displeasure at the post-game press conference.

"When you get 26 fouls called against you, and they go to the line 32 times, it changes our whole style of play," he lamented. "At one of the floor, they are letting you play, but at the other end of the floor, they are not letting you play, and that really hampered us tonight."

"Dixie is a good team, but that Dixie team was not better than our team, I really believe that in my heart," Briggs continued. "And I really believe that the officiating hurt us tonight and took us out of our game."

Schoolcraft, which had entered the NJCAA Tournament ranked number one and undefeated at 32-0, dropped to 34-1 with the loss. The Ocelots will face defending national champion Wabash Valley in the third place game on Saturday at 6 p.m.