OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Earlier this season, the Johnson County Community College celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the men's basketball team winning the 2009 NJCAA Division II National Championship. This year's team hoped that in 2029 there will be another celebration honoring a national title team.
The Cavaliers open play today at the 2019 NJCAA D-II National Tournament in Danville, Ill. Johnson County (28-4) earned the No. 2 seed, and will face No. 15 seed Pitt Community College (23-8) of Winterville, N.C. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. CST. Fans can follow the Cavaliers on NJCAA Radio or NJCAA TV.
This is the Johnson County's sixth appearance at the NJCAA D-II Tournament. The Cavaliers cut down the nets in 2001 and 2009. The Bulldogs are making their first ever trip to the Big Dance.
Johnson County is coached by Mike Jeffers, who is in his 28th season at the college, and his 32 overall as a head coach. His record at JCCC is 471-382, and his team's 28 wins this year at just two shy of the record 30 win his team registered during their 2001 championship run. The Bulldogs are Darrick Mullins, who is in his seventh season and has a career record of 161-94. This is Pitt's first year to qualify for the NJCAA D-II tournament.
Johnson County is led offensively by Nick Larkin and David Turner. They average 13.6 points and 13. 4 points respectively. Larkin also averages 6.4 rebounds, second on the team, and 6.4 assists, seventh-best in the NJCAA. Turner hauls down a team-best 6.6 rebounds, and has blocked a school record 93 shots. That total ranks second nationally. Both players were first-team all-conference selections, and Turner was the Defensive Player of the Year.
Pitt's leading scorer is R. Clark at 13.7 per game. He is the only Bulldog player averaging double figures. He also gets 7.7 rebounds per game, second-best on the team.