It's often been said and written – even sung – that when we stand together it's our finest hour.
Such is the stance the Lady Cardinals and Cardinals took Saturday afternoon. And now they both stand together atop the Region XIV basketball world.
Playing in the regional championship games at Lee College in Baytown, both punched their tickets to the upcoming NJCAA tournaments. The Lady Cardinals posted a last-second 70-68 win against Kilgore. The Cardinals ran away and hid from Lee in the second half for an 85-67.
As a result, the Lady Cardinals will be in Lake Charles, La., at the women's event March 24-31 and the Cardinals will make the jaunt to Hutchinson, Kan., in an attempt to defend their men's title from a year ago March 21-28.
The Lady Cardinals head to the big show with a 29-3 record. The Cardinals are 28-5.
The Cardinals are seeded No. 4 at the national tournament and the Lady Cardinals No. 6. Both receive byes in the opening round.
MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
TVCC 85, Lee 67
A 9-0 run to start the second half provided the impetus the Cardinals needed to pull away and claim the regional title they were denied a year ago in their national championship campaign.
Having led 38-37 at the half, by the time 10:44 remained in the game, things were turn in the Cardinals' favor. Lee, playing the Cardinals for a third time in two weeks, soon succumbed to the depth on the other end of the court.
Depth, you ask?
In a game M.J. Wardlow and Zati Loubaki combined for four points and Wardlow had all four, the Cardinals won by 18 in a championship game.
The situation was offset by 31 combined points from Derrelle Desire and Najee Graham off the bench. Desire had 19, 12 of which were in the second half.
Armani Henderson had another spectacular outing with 20 points, hitting 8-of-11 shots and adding a pair of three-pointers. Braylon Wenger had 15 and Moussa Konare 13.
The Cardinals outrebounded the Navigators 36-24.
Lee finished the season 19-15.
The Cardinals will be making their 13th appearance in Hutch and 10th in the last 13 years.
They have now played in four straight regional title games, winning three.
