HERKIMER, N.Y. (March 15, 2023) — It figured the unranked Chaps would endure a battle in their NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championshhip opener against No. 6-seed and sixth-ranked Fulton-Montgomery on Wednesday night.
 
After all, the game was played on the Ides of March.
 
Coach Joe Kuhn's team raced to a 17-point lead, watched its comfort zone drop after being outscored 23-2 in the second half, and then walked off the court in jubilation in an 89-85 overtime victory.
 
The 11^th-seeded Chaps, who have won eight straight and 11 of their last 13, take their 21-13 record into Thursday night's quarterfinal game against No. 3 seed and fifth-ranked Brookdale CC of Middletown, N.J.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern/7 Central. Chaps fans should expect the game to begin late, as they play the sixth and final game of the day.

"Tonight was an absolute battle,'' Kuhn said. "So proud and excited for our guys. This was a tough game that went down to the wire. And as I told them afterward, it doesn't get any easier moving forward.''
 
Trailing 81-78 with 20 seconds remaining, the Chaps' All-Region 4 choice Matt Elliott found fellow All-Region Drew Gaston open on the left wing, who then drained a 25-foot, 3-pointer with six seconds left to force overtime.
 
In overtime, Gaston's jumper with 41 seconds left broke an 85-85 tie. The Raiders had two attempts and then lost possession after an offensive rebound when Kam Gothard picked up a critical steal.
 
Finn Walsh was later fouled, and he hit the final two free throws for a perfect 21-of-21 team effort at the line and the Chaps earned their way to play Thursday night.
 
Gaston finished with a season-high 33 points that included 22 in the first half. Elliott pulled down 19 rebounds, tying the school record set by Demond Brown in 2000-01.
 
Elliott scored 15 with Gerald Tate adding a season-best 16 and Alijah Nelson 15.
 
And Gothard, a member of this past season's football national championship team, had five points, two steals, four rebounds and one block in 17 minutes off the bench.
 
COD jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first four minutes of play, extended the lead to 17 three times in the final three minutes and led 51-37 at halftime.
 
"As soon as we got in the locker room at halftime, it was made very clear that we had to keep applying pressure and to expect them to make a run,'' Kuhn said. "There aren't blow-outs this late in the season, and as well as we played, it wouldn't be given to us.''
 
And the Raiders did indeed make their run. COD, leading 57-42 with 16:18 left, saw its foe go on a 23-2 run in less than five minutes for its largest lead of the game, 65-59.
 
How COD answered back was just as important. Tate hit a basket, followed by two free throws from Gaston, and another bucket from Tate tied the game at 65-65 with 8:19 left.
 
"To me, that proved huge and really was a turning point,'' Kuhn said. "They fought valiantly getting back and with that six-point lead, we stopped their run and made one of our own.''
 
The final eight minutes was a back-and-forth game with seven lead changes until Gaston's 3 forced OT.
 
It's unknown at press-time if the Chaps' 21 of 21 effort at the free throw line established a tournament record.
 
At the very least, it tied the record and more importantly, COD advances to Thursday night.

NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship
March 15-18, 2023
Herkimer, N.Y. | Herkimer College
All times Eastern | Click here for PDF bracket
Stream on NJCAA Network Day Pass - $10.00 Tournament Pass - $30.00

Wednesday, March 15
Game 1: No. 9 Mohawk Valley def. No. 8 Prince George, 92-87 
Game 2: No. 5 Northampton def. No. 12 Duchess, 81-65
Game 3: No. 10 Rochester def. No. 7 Butler County 84-81
Game 4: No. 11 Chaparrals def. No. 6 Fulton-Montgomery 89-85 OT
Thursday, March 16
Game 5: No. 8 Prince George def. No. 12 Duchess, 90-85
Game 6: No. 7 Butler County def. No. 6 Fulton-Montgomery, 83-76
Game 7: No. 1 Sandhills def. No. 9 Mohawk Valley, 92-85
Game 8: No. 5 Northampton def. No. 4 Northern Essex, 69-67
Game 9: No. 10 Rochester (21-7) def. Dallas-North Lake, 73-63
Game 10. No. 3 Brookdale def. No. 11 Chaparrals (21-13)
Friday, March 17
Consolation
12 p.m.           Game 11: No. 9 Mohawk Valley (27-4) vs. No. 4 Northern Essex (31-2)
2 p.m.             Game 12: No. 2 Dallas-North Lake (25-7) vs. No. 11 Chaparrals (21-14)
Semifinals
4 p.m.              Game 13: No. 1 Sandhills (29-3) vs. No. 5 Northampton (30-3)
6 p.m.              Game 14: No. 10 Rochester (22-7)  vs. No. 3 Brookdale (28-3)
Saturday, March 18
12 p.m.           5^th place — Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12
2 p.m.             3^rd place — Loser of Game 13 vs. Loser Game 14
5 p.m.             Championship — Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14