Cardinals set physical tone to capture 8th Region 16 crown
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The Mineral Area men’s basketball team is pictured with its championship plaque after defeating Three Rivers 75-66 in the Region 16 tournament final on Saturday night in Park Hills. It was the first title for the Cardinals since 2021 and eighth in program history. (Submitted Photo, MAC Athletics)
By MATT KING
mking@dailyjournalonline.com
PARK HILLS – Mineral Area College landed a proven winner when convincing Tony Irons to leave behind an exceptional legacy at prep basketball powerhouse Vashon.
Irons then called upon several of his former players to form a stable foundation. In just two years, their efforts have powered the Cardinals toward an eighth Region 16 championship.
Mineral Area closed out a 75-66 triumph on Saturday night, and captured its first title since 2021 during a fourth meeting this season against rival Three Rivers.
Terron Garrett drained two crucial 3-pointers down the stretch, and shared game-high honors with 21 points as one of five original recruits by Irons who stayed for a second season.
Mineral Area (20-11) invited contact on aggressive drives, and brought buzzing defense to build an 18-point advantage just 12 minutes into the game.
The Cardinals were rewarded with a parade to the line, converting 32-of-41 overall, and faces Malcolm X in downtown Chicago this Saturday with an NJCAA Tournament berth at stake.
Region 16 Player of the Year Matt Hampton rallied Three Rivers (20-11) while netting 17 of his 21 points after halftime. He also contributed six rebounds and five assists.
But the Raiders could not fully negate a ragged start and 18 total turnovers. They crashed the boards to generate four shots in a single possession plus three during another, but came up empty each time.
Maki Joyner provided 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting for MAC, and dropped in a leaping putback before intercepting the next backcourt pass for an uncontested slam.
Nazir Allen put the Cardinals ahead to stay by dunking an inbound lob at 6-4, and nailed a fading bank shot to establish the maximum lead at 26-8. He totaled 12 points with four blocks.
The Three Rivers bench received the first of two technical fouls while arguing a goal tending call. Head coach Robert Kirby got one after Nassir Binion was awarded a steal while diving across the sideline.
But the visitors chipped away with an 11-0 run. Tristin Fleming earned his way to the stripe on back-to-back possessions, and Easton Evans nailed a corner 3-pointer off the bench.
Jordyn Richard countered by wrapping a stellar scoop around a defender in the air, and Mineral Area carried a 31-22 margin into halftime.
The remaining action was mostly littered with frequent whistles, and the Cardinals knocked down enough free throws to thwart a steady comeback bid.
Joyner threw down his second dunk off a steal and pass from Lorenzo Shields at 42-31, but Hampton raced the other way for a transition layup.
Josiah Cotto nailed an open three after a MAC turnover, and Myles Jones finished a diagonal slash into the paint to suddenly make the spread 45-42 with eight minutes remaining.
Hampton drew the fourth foul against Binion on a drive before making free throws, then buried a fading 14-footer at 52-48 with 4:04 remaining.
Garrett trumped both of those scoring sequences with timely 3-pointers from each wing. The Cardinals attempted only 10 shots from beyond the arc with three made.
Allen dunked off a screen-and-roll assist from Garrett, and Joyner took an outlet from Edwon Duling Jr. to score after an ensuing miss by the Raiders.
A baseline pivot and jumper by Allen bumped the cushion to 61-49, and MAC was soon celebrating after hitting 14-of-16 free throws over the final two minutes.
Duling dished out three assists, and sank 7-of-8 tosses in the closing stages to match the seven points by Binion. The Cardinals committed only 10 turnovers.
Kirby dispersed minutes among 11 players, and Three Rivers finished a solid 20-of-27 from the line. But his team settled for 37 percent from the field.
Fleming tallied 11 points, and Antonio Williams neared a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. The Raiders dropped three of four matchups against MAC this season.
Allen and the active guards near him were integral in suppressing center Johann Pautsch to a single made field goal among seven points and seven rebounds.
