ETBU Captures First ASC Tournament Championship

East Texas Baptist won its first ASC Championship with an 82-71 win over Concordia Texas.

2/28/2015 9:00:42 PM

Final Box Score

No. 1 East Texas Baptist 82, No. 6 Concordia Texas 71

MARSHALL, Texas — In their ninth appearance in the ASC Championship Tournament, East Texas Baptist came out on top as they defeated Concordia Texas 82-71 in the title game. Following Texas Dallas last year, ETBU is the second consecutive host to win the tournament.

Jamil Samuel led the way for ETBU with a double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He was joined in double figures by Erby Thompson, who also scored 15 to tie for the team lead; as well as Junior Mitchell with 14 and Bret Atkins with 13. Rashad Coleman led Concordia with 21 points and eight rebounds.

ETBU never trailed in the game. Jamil Samuel scored the first basket 36 seconds in, one of four ETBU players to score during a 7-0 run to start the game. From there ETBU continued to expand their lead, getting up to double digits at 20-9 at the 10:28 mark. Each time Concordia cut the lead to single digits, ETBU would push it back up to double digits and went into halftime with a 43-33 lead.

Concordia got within seven in the opening minutes of the second half, but was as close as they would get the rest of the half. ETBU pushed the lead up to as many as 16 in the second half at 58-42 at the 11:15 mark. From there they would cruise the rest of the half to pull out the 11 point win. ETBU’s defense once again made the difference as they held Concordia to just 32.8% shooting from the field and 8-28 from three-point range. In the two prior ASC tournament games, Concordia had shot over 45% from the field and almost 40 percent from downtown.

Junior Mitchell was named tournament MVP, joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Jamil Samuel and Justin Felicia. The trio joins Jacob Turnipseed from 2010 as ETBU’s all-time ASC all-tournament selections. Andre Potts and Coleman for Concordia Texas were both named to the all-tournament team, joined by Derrick Jefferson of Hardin-Simmons and Brandon Gould of Howard Payne. Jefferson made the all-tournament team all four years he played, the first four time all-tournament selection in ASC history.

ETBU has sealed its automatic bid in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. The tournament selection show will unveil the 62 team bracket on Monday morning at 11:30 a.m.

2015 All-Tournament Team
Junior Mitchell, East Texas Baptist (Most Valuable Player)
Jamil Samuel, East Texas Baptist
Justin Felicia, East Texas Baptist
Rashad Coleman, Concordia Texas
Andre Potts, Concordia Texas
Brandon Gould, Howard Payne
Derrick Jefferson, Hardin-Simmons

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