Harper unable to close out MATC

Harper used a series of runs to build a 19-point second-half lead in NJCAA Region IV, Divison III men’s basketball playoff action Wednesday at Alverno College (Wis.).

But it wasn’t enough, as host Milwaukee Tech finished the game on a 16-4 spurt that erased a 10-point Harper lead and allowed the third-seeded Stormers to eliminate No. 6 seed Harper 84-80 in a preliminary round game.

The Stormers (20-11) advance to Saturday’s regional semifinals at Madison College while the Hawks’ season ends at 10-21.

MATC jumped out to a 26-20 lead at 10:19 mark; their biggest of the first half; behind 11 points from 6-foot-7 center Patrick Zemanovic.

At that point visiting Harper took over part 2 of the opening stanza outscoring Milwaukee Tech 29-12. First with an 11-0 surge keyed by 7 straight points by Louis Erkins topped off by a 3-point play with 8:12 left that made 31-26 Hawks.

After a 6-0 run by MATC gave them a 32-31 advantage with 5:55 left, Harper would close off the period with an 18-6 run by highlighted by 8 points from Hersey freshman grad Connor Miklasz that included a pair of triples to give the visiting team a 49-38 edge at the half.

The Hawks use an 11-2 surge to open up their biggest lead of the night at 70-51 at the 12:44 mark capped off by Miklasz’s third three of the evening.

Milwaukee Tech stormed back, first with a 17-4 deluge that featured 5 points apiece from guard Rishaad Alexander and forward Nate Johnson and brought them within 6 at 74-68.

Then after the final Harper field goal of the night from sophomore swingman Shonnon Barfield with 7:43 to play and a pair of free throws by third-year Sophomore Jordan Mack made it 78-68 Hawks with 6:45 remaining, the deciding run began with Zemanovic’s final points of the night on a layup, a Tevin Rumley layup and 3-pointer, and back-to-back buckets from Bobby Saxton that put Tech on top 79-78 with 3:04 left.

Another Mack free throw tied the game at 79 18 seconds later but after a stormer series that included a trio of offensive rebounds a pair of Clem Robinson free throws gave Milwaukee Tech the lead for good at 81-79 with 1:07 to go.

Harper still had a shot left to tie it 10 seconds later after a Miklasz steal, but he made 1 of 2 foul shots to pull the Hawks within 1 at 81-80. Saxton sealed the deal with 3-for-4 at foul line in the final 13 seconds.

Mack, in his final Harper game, led all scorers with 18 points. Barfield, also in his final Harper game, had 15. Miklasz added 12, Erkins 11 and sophomore Horace Grant Jr. chipped in 10.

MATC was led by Johnson with 16 and Zemanovic with 15.