MJ Iraldi rallies Nova Southeastern past Cal State Dominguez Hills 74-73 in Division II title game
MJ Iraldi made two free throws with 17.8 seconds left and finished with 27 points to rally
Nova Southeastern
to a 74-73 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the championship game of the Division II Tournament at the Ford Center on Saturday.
It was the second national championship for the top-seeded Sharks (36-1) in the past three seasons under head coach Jim Crutchfield.
Iraldi's free throws came after David Cheatom had given the seventh-seeded Toros (30-6) the lead with 24 seconds remaining. Cheatom had a layup in traffic roll off the rim in the final second.
Iraldi made 8 of 16 shots with a 3-pointer and 10 of 12 foul shots. He added nine rebounds and three steals. Tyler Eberhart totaled 14 points and six boards. Dallas Graziani pitched in with 13 points and nine assists.
Jeremy Dent-Smith led Dominguez Hills with 27 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 1:19 left. Dent-Smith helped rally the Toros from an eight-point deficit with 11 minutes remaining. He scored six straight points to tie the game at 62 with 8:15 to go. Cheatom scored 15.
A layup by Ross Reeves gave the Sharks a 17-9 lead seven minutes into the game. Dent-Smith's basket capped a 15-5 run from there as the Toros moved in front and played with a lead over the final 7:37, taking a 42-38 advantage into halftime.
The Sharks capped an unbeaten 36-0 season with a 111-101 victory over West Liberty in the 2023 title game before losing to Minnesota State 88-85 last season.
The Toros' women also lost in the championship game. Minnesota State's men and women won championships last season as the first school with teams in both title games.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sharks get the job done in a hurry as they make it two from two in Blast
Sussex claimed a swift and comfortable T20 Vitality Blast home victory over last year's champions Gloucestershire, winning by 80 runs as Tom Alsop and James Coles set up a commanding total, with skipper Tymal Mills claiming three wickets. After being put in to bat, Sussex started brightly, with opener Daniel Hughes twice finding the boundary in the first over. Advertisement Fellow opener Harrison Ward fell for one in the second over, clean bowled by the off-spin of Ollie Price after going back and trying to cut a straight delivery which wasn't that short. Hughes kept his foot on the gas, hitting powerfully down the ground and square of the wicket, before tamely chipping a short delivery from Price into the hands of James Taylor at mid-off for 35 from 19. Hammond took a wonderful diving catch in the sixth over to dismiss John Simpson for eight off the bowling of Taylor, and the Sharks finished the powerplay on 53-3. James Coles started slowly, but Alsop hit both of his first two balls for four and didn't look back, thumping Tom Smith back over his head for the first six of the innings in the 11th over, and managing to hit the clock face above the scoreboard with another huge blow shortly after. Advertisement Coles got in on the act too, twice hitting Taylor over the square leg boundary in the 13th, almost striking the clock himself. Alsop reached his 50 from 30 in the 14th over, and the pair brought up their 100 partnership in the 15th. Sussex were well on top by this point, but David Payne seemed to have swung momentum back in Gloucestershire's favour when he dismissed Alsop (58 off 35) and then Coles (43 off 27) in the 16th over - Alsop stretching for a wide slower ball and looping it to short third man, Coles pulling a shortish delivery straight to mid wicket, leaving the Sharks 149-5. No subsequent batter could add more than ten runs to the total in the remaining four overs. Advertisement Smith took an amazing caught and bowled after Tom Clark smashed one back towards his face for two, and Jack Carson holed out at long on off Aman Rao's bowling, just after hitting an impressive pull shot over square leg for six. Nathan McAndrew was also caught on the boundary, becoming Payne's third wicket in an outstanding spell of 4-24 in his four overs. Tom Alsop adds to his tally (Image: Simon Dack) Ollie Robinson tried a few scoops, but eventually lobbed one straight to the keeper for six, and skipper Tymal Mills was out off the final ball of the innings, caught for one off the bowling of Taylor, with Sussex setting Gloucestershire a target of 174 to win. That seemed at the halfway point just above a par score, on a good wicket with a lightning outfield. Advertisement However, it became apparent quite quickly that Sussex's total would be far out of Gloucestershire's reach. Robinson showed his class with a high quality opening spell, clean bowling Australian opener Bancroft for seven in the third over with a world class delivery that kissed the top of off stump. He was very unfortunate not to have Price in the third over with lbw and, by the time Robinson had completed his third over, Gloucestershire were 29-2, with Currie having removed D'arcy Short for a duck. Hammond looked good for 24, but when he fell to Mills in the final over of the powerplay, Gloucestershire looked in trouble at 34-3. Advertisement Bracey looked in decent nick but also couldn't get past 24, joint top-scoring with Hammond. Mills bamboozled the lower order with his slower deliveries, finishing with 3-13, but everyone chipped in with Coles and Carson picking up two wickets each, and McAndrew claiming another. Gloucestershire were dismissed for 93 in the 14th over, with Sussex winning by a huge 80 runs.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Munster fought to 'bitter end'
Munster lost in the URC quarter-finals for the first time since 2022 [Getty Images] Munster captain Tadhg Beirne said "there was nothing more" he could ask of his team-mates after their United Rugby Championship quarter-final loss to Sharks was decided by a place-kick competition. The visitors to Durban had led 21-10 in the second half but, after the game finished 24-24 and neither side scored during extra time, the Sharks were a perfect six-from-six in their shots at goal, while Rory Scannell was wayward off the tee for Munster. Advertisement "They're riddled with internationals, they know what they're doing," said Beirne of the Sharks who will now face the Bulls in the semi-finals. "We knew they were going to keep coming at us, we knew they would be a tough battle, and we fought to the bitter end. "There's nothing more I could ask of the lads. To go to a penalty shootout or whatever you call that there is gutting for us, but that's the way it goes and that's the way we lost the game." The defeat represented final Munster appearances for Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer. "There's no tomorrow for us this season and we have to say goodbye to some pretty special characters within this room," added Beirne, who will tour with the British and Irish Lions for a second time this summer. "It's going to be a weird place without them, we've spoken about it before. "They epitomise Munster, they love the club and they put blood, sweat and tears in for the club."
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Boston Globe
Before James Hagens decides if he'll return to BC, he'll realize a dream by hearing his name called in the NHL Draft
'This year went really well, coming in right away and learning how to adapt to the pace of play and the structure of a college-level game. It was something that really helped me and helped my game.' Advertisement To some observers, Hagens was in a situation akin to that of Once the season started, Hagens worked his way up to centering the top line, skating with 2023 first-round picks Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. It was a spot occupied the year before by Will Smith, who led the country with 71 points before signing with the Sharks last spring. Advertisement While Hagens didn't have the same level of offensive production, comparisons to Celebrini or Smith weren't quite fair as the circumstances were a bit different. Listed at 5 feet 11 inches, 176 pounds, Hagens did not have the physical traits of Celebrini, who showed up at BU at 6 feet, 190 pounds and already was a more complete player. Smith had established chemistry with Leonard and Perreault, the trio having skated together with the US National Team Development Program before heading to BC. So while the transition may not have been seamless at first with Hagens, by the end of the season they were one of the top lines in the NCAA, with Leonard being named Hockey East Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker Award finalist. 'He's got some things that are a lot harder to teach,' said BC coach Greg Brown. 'His spatial awareness and ability to transport pucks and skate by guys, not only with good skating but also by using his brain to set up the people he wants to skate by, whether he's making them freeze with a fake, or getting them at the wrong foot so he can use the other side against them. He just has some real special attributes that will translate very well to the NHL.' At times it seemed Hagens may have been too deferential to his older linemates, perhaps not looking for his own shot. 'He did have those moments, but he's kind of a pass-first player right now,' said Brown. 'His vision and creativity to distribute pucks is one of his very best attributes, and I think he enjoys that part of the game, so he'll grow into becoming a dual threat of scorer and passer.' Advertisement Whether that growth continues at BC is not certain, as Hagens hasn't stated if he will return for his sophomore year. While Smith and Celebrini were one and done, another year in college would seem to be beneficial for Hagens, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of Leonard and Perreault, who jumped to the NHL this spring. Cutter Gauthier also returned for a second year with BC for the 2023-24 season, and went on to lead the nation in goals and was a Hobey Baker finalist. 'You just have to see what happens,' said Hagens. 'There's no decision made yet. That's a discussion me and my family and the team would have to have after the draft.' The NHL is not a developmental league, with teams playing three to four times a week. The college schedule typically calls for no more than two games a week, on weekends, allowing for more practices. It also provides an opportunity to hit the weight room so players can withstand the rigors of the NHL when they do make the jump. It's hard to imagine any organization having an issue if Hagens chooses to return to campus. Most scouting reports indicate that he could use a bit more seasoning. He certainly seems to have enjoyed his time in Boston, and didn't flinch when asked about the prospect of falling to Bruins, who own the seventh pick. 'I love Boston,' Hagens said. 'Obviously being at Boston College, I'm right in the middle of Boston there. It's a beautiful city. Only great things to say about it.' Advertisement But before that, he will head to Buffalo for next week's scouting combine, something Hagens has been gearing up for since BC's season ended in late March. It's another step as he moves closer to hearing his name called next month. 'Getting drafted, it's been my dream my entire life,' said Hagens. 'That's why I started playing hockey. That's why I still play. I'm really just grateful for everything right now … You just have to make sure you're living in the moment and taking it day by day.' Follow Andrew Mahoney
