By: Mike Whaley
AUBURN, Maine — The Great Bay Community College men’s basketball team had a great run come to a close on Sunday with a 59-47 loss to Southern Maine CC, 59-47, in the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) playoff championship Sunday at Central Maine CC.
With the win, No. 3 SMCC, the defending USCAA Division II national champs, earned the automatic bid to the D-II nationals later this month in Richmond, Virginia. Great Bay is also going to the nationals as it earned an at-large bid. Three YSCC teams are bound to the 10-team national tourney with NHTI also joining the field.
Great Bay will open the nationals on Monday, March 13, noon, vs. Villa Maria (19-10) from Buffalo, N.Y.
In Sunday’s final, the Seawolves (19-9) jumped out to a 35-21 lead at the half and never let the Herons (20-8) get in the game. No. 6 GBCC struggled offensively, making just 31.7 percent of their shots from the field and 4 of 18 3-pointers. Theo Wolf led the Herons with 14 points and 18 rebounds. He was named the YSCC Men’s Final Four Offensive Player of the Tournament. Bryce Gibson added eight points. The loss snapped a six-game GBCC winning streak.
SMCC was led by Thomas Martinotti with 14 points, while Jack Pyzynski and DeSean Cromwell added 12 apiece. Martinotti was named Tournament MVP, while Cromwell was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Tournament.