By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — If the first semifinal at the Hutchinson Sports Arena Friday night was a track meet, the second one was like a military campaign, with every inch and every basket hard-fought.
It will be an all-Kansas final in the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time since 1953 as Coffeyville came away with a 66-63 win over Chipola.
Larry White's basket through contact for Coffeyville at the 7:25 mark of half number one tied it at 14 and it was a back and forth affair thereafter until intermission.
It looked like Blaise Keita's dunk would leave Coffeyville with a halftime advantage, but Chipola's Carlos Lemus was fouled in the act of shooting a three and hit all three free throws to give the Indians a 29-28 lead and Keita was fouled just before halftime but missed both.
After the teams traded points to leave Chipola up one early in the second half, Tylor Perry's two of three free throws sparked a 12-0 Red Raven run to push Coffeyville out to a 42-31 lead at the 15:10 mark.
Chipola took the lead at the 8:24 mark at 49-47 after a 18-5 run of their own, with Coffeyville committing a series of turnovers.
The Red Ravens answered back with a big three to take back the lead and then Lemus committed an offensive foul to give the ball back. Another three gave Coffeyville a four-point lead, but Chipola answered with a putback by Jo Smith to cut it to two. The Red Ravens made one free throw and then the Indians fed Smith again and he finished the old-fashioned three-point play to tie it at 54 with 5:40 to go.
A tip-in by Nae'qwan Tomlin gave Chipola the lead, then Love Bettis hit a wing three to put Coffeyville back up 57-56 at 4:00 to play. Brittingham had a follow dunk at the 3:26 mark to get the Red Raven fans on their feet and put them up three.
Bettis committed a foul away from the play and Lemus hit both ends of the one and one at the 3:19 mark to cut the game to one. A missed Coffeyville three turned into a Zachery layup and the Indians were back up one.
Lemus committed a bump on the defensive end and Perry cashed in on the one and one with 2:21 to go for a 61-60 Red Raven lead.
Keita goaltended a Lemus shot and Chipola went back up with 2:02 to go, Perry drew another bump, this time on Dontae Walker and cashed in both of a double bonus to turn it back the Red Ravens' way.
Naheem McLoed missed a layup, but the whistle blew and Keita was charged. McLoed missed both charities and Perry looped in a teardrop with just over a minute to go to extend the Red Raven lead to three.
Perry then was called for a blocking foul on the defensive end and Lemus headed to the line. He missed the first, but made the second. Perry ran the clock down and missed a three, the Chipola rebound gave them a chance to tie or win.
They didn't even get a shot. The ball was tipped in the middle of the lane and Brittingham came out with it as the Red Ravens made the steal and survived, with Perry making one of two on the other end. Chipola's heave at the horn wasn't close.
The Red Ravens were led in scoring by Love Bettis with 17 points, Tylor Perry added 11, Blaise Keita had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
For the Indians, they were led by Carlos Lemus with 27 points, Jaeden Zackery had 17 in the losing effort.
Coffeyville will play Cowley for the championship. The Indians end their season at 23-5.
Arkansas City Junior College and El Dorado Junior College met back in 1953 at the Sports Arena. Tip time is at 6 p.m.