KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — James Jones had 27 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and Shawnee State (Ohio) claimed the program's first NAIA Tournament championship with a 74-68 victory over Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) on Tuesday night.
Shawnee State (31-2), a No. 5 seed, won its 27th straight game — including four tournament victories in five days.
Jones hit his fourth, and final, 3-pointer of the game to extend Shawnee State’s lead to 59-51, and Amier Gilmore made just his sixth 3-pointer of the season to make it 62-53.
Jones, an 80% free-throw shooter, made two at the stripe with 25.9 seconds left for a six-point lead, and he made 1 of 2 at 9.1 for 72-65.
Gilmore finished with 14 points and six rebounds, and Miles Thomas added 10 points for Shawnee State. Jones was 8 of 20 from the floor to score 20-plus for the 14th time this season.
EJ Onu, the offensive and defensive player of the year in the Mid-South Conference, picked up his third and fourth fouls 15-seconds apart early in the second half, and spent most of the game on the bench before fouling out late. The 6-foot-11 center, who has over 500 career blocked shots, finished with six points, six rebounds and five blocks.
Damek Mitchell, the player of the year in the Cascade Conference, led Lewis-Clark State (22-2) with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Khalil Stevenson added 19 points and Trystan Bradley had 11.
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1of14Shawnee State players celebrate after a win over Lewis-Clark State in the final of the NAIA men's college basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less2of14Shawnee State's Latavious Mitchell (25), Donoven Carlisle (30), Tre Beard (12), Amier Gilmore (0) and Issac Abergut (20) celebrate following the final of the NAII college basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Shawnee State defeated Lewis-Clark State.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less
3of144of14Shawnee State forward EJ Onu (35) shoots over Lewis-Clark State forward Trystan Bradley during the first half of the final of the NAIA men's basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less5of14Players on the Shawnee State bench celebrate a basket during the second half of the team's NAIA men's basketball tournament final against Lewis-Clark State in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less
6of147of14Lewis-Clark State forward Jake Albright (34) and guard Damek Mitchell, right, rebounds against Shawnee State forward Latavious Mitchell, back, during the first half of an NAIA basketball game in the finals of the national tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less8of14Shawnee State head coach Delano Thomas directs his team during the first half of an NAIA basketball game against Lewis-Clark State in the finals of the national tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less
9of1410of14Lewis-Clark State forward Jake Albright (34) shoots while covered by Shawnee State forward Latavious Mitchell (25) during the first half of the NAIA men's college basketball tournament final in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less11of14Lewis-Clark State forward Jake Albright (34) shoots while covered by Shawnee State forward Latavious Mitchell (25) during the first half of an NAIA basketball game in the finals of the national tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less
12of1413of14Shawnee State forward EJ Onu (35) defends against Lewis-Clark State forward Trystan Bradley (32) during the first half of final in the NAIA men's college basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, March 23, 2021.Orlin Wagner/APShow MoreShow Less
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Hodges Bailey, who scored a season-high 25 points including seven 3-pointers in Lewis-Clark State's 27-point win in the semifinals, did not score until the 16:27 mark of the second half on a putback. His only 3-pointer came from the corner to get within 50-40.
NBA legend John Stockton was in attendance watching his son Sam and his Lewis-Clark State teammates try for the program's first basketball title.
