HICKORY, N.C. — Turning to its deep bench and steely nerves down the stretch, the Salkehatchie men’s basketball team knocked off Brunswick Community College, 84-78, to advance to the semifinals of the NJCAA Region 10 Tournament at Catawaba Valley Community College.
Seventh-seeded Salkehatchie, after dispatching second-seeded Brunswick, will chase a berth in the title game when they play the winner of Thursday night’s quarterfinal game between third-seeded Wake Tech and sixth-seeded Richard Bland. The semifinal tips off at 6 p.m. on Friday night.
Salkehatchie, which improved to 18-13, won its fourth in a row. It also scored a rare win away from the cozy confines of the Salk Palace, where they finished the season with a league-best 14 victories, signaling another area of growth for the conference’s youngest team.
Against Brunswick, Salkehatchie seized control with a late first-half run and took a 41-30 lead into the half on a tip-in at the buzzer. In the second half, Salkehatchie repelled charge after charge by Brunswick, which sent waves of players to the offensive boards and closed within 76-74 with a little over two minutes remaining.
But Salkehatchie, which played nine freshmen, stayed cool enough in the game’s tense final moments, hitting enough free throws, plugging gaps in their zone defense and avoiding any turnovers to secure the victory. Be sure to follow @USCSalkMBB on Facebook, X, and Instagram for updates and livestream information.
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