Sharks Exit Tournament In Semifinals
The Miami Dade College men’s basketball team made it to the state tournament for the second consecutive year, but once again came up short.
After finishing second in the Southern Conference—with a record of 8-4—the Sharks punched a ticket to the State Championship Tournament.
They looked to redeem themselves after being eliminated from the State Tournament in the first round the previous year. Things started better for the Sharks when they notched an 88-77 win versus Daytona State College, the first place team in the Mid-Florida Conference (8-1 in conference play) on March 5.
Sophomore point guard Shane Rector led the Sharks with 30 points. Rector scored 19 of his 30 points in the second half of the game. Freshman guard Marvin Jean-Pierre added 17 points and 14 rebounds and the Sharks outrebounded the Falcons 54-34.
In the semifinals, the Sharks were outmatched versus Northwest Florida State College, who came into the game as the first place team in the Panhandle Conference and with only two losses on the season.
Northwest Florida State College easily discarded of the Sharks 99-75 and had five players score in double-digits. The Sharks leading scorer was Jean-Pierre with 22 points and Rector added 18 points in the loss.
“I was sad, but at the same time I was happy for us [because] nobody thought we’d even make it that far,” Jean-Pierre said shortly after the loss to Northwest Florida State College. “My expectations for next year is to make it back and win the [State] Tournament.”
Despite the loss, the Sharks have a lot to look forward to next year. Six players from this year’s squad are expected to return unlike this year when only one player—guard Jaylin Gilbert—returned.
The team hopes to build around a nucleus that includes freshman forwards Macoumba Kane, and Joe Mvuezolo Jr., center Trayvond Massenburg and guard Marvin Jean-Pierre, who was second on the team in scoring this year with 13.4 points per game. Jean-Pierre is mulling an offer to transfer to the University of Tennessee next season.
“Marvin was a big part of this year,” said Sharks Head Basketball Coach Stephen Cowherd.
