North Lake Defense Dictates in District Semifinal Win

NJCAA DIII SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT TOURNAMENT PAGE

IRVING, Texas – Top-seeded Dallas College North Lake rolled to a 95-65 win over fifth-seeded Dallas College Mountain View in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III South Central District semifinals Friday.

The Blazers (24-6) will play second-seeded Dallas College Richland (15-10) in the district championship game 5 p.m. Saturday at North Lake. The game will be broadcast by The Sports Broadcasting Network and streamed on Hudl TV.

It is the second straight year North Lake will play for the district championship. Last year, the Blazers fell to Dallas College Eastfield in the title game, 84-83.

Ranked No. 2 in the country, North Lake improved to 15-0 at home, and won its 20^th straight game in the process.

"We just got to lock down on defense, I feel like, to keep the stretch going, keep winning," North Lake sophomore guard Darion Jones said after scoring 20 points, grabbing eight rebounds, including four offensive boards, and had a blocked shot. "We've just got to lock in on the defensive end, the offense is going to come. Once we lock in on the defensive end as a team, we'll be good."

�� @northlakembb's Darion Jones breaks down the Blazers' 95-65 win over Dallas College Mountain View in @NJCAABasketball DIII South Central District semifinals.#NorthLakeBlazers | #NJCAABasketball pic.twitter.com/z0vyi75MMi

— Dallas College Athletics (@DallasCollAth) March 4, 2023

North Lake, which entered the game leading NJCAA Division III in fewest points allowed per game (63.2), has held every Dallas Athletic Conference opponent to under 70 points in regulation. Only a 91-83 double overtime win at Dallas College Brookhaven altered that narrative.  

"It's just something we take pride in, and work hard every day and practice," Jones said of the defensive emphasis. "The repetition just translates over into the game."

The Blazers led 53-33 at halftime. They held the Mountain View to 32 points in the second half, and 35 percent field goal shooting in the game. 

"It was a good job by Mountain View this season," Jones said. "They fought hard towards the end of the season."

The Lions (18-13) came into the game after winning three of its past four, including Tuesday's 86-79 quarterfinal victory over Dallas College Brookhaven.

Jones was one of six Blazers in double figures. He canned three of his team's seven first half triples. Ring Deng scored 16 points, six rebounds and a steal. Da'Ryan Williams had 14 points and four assists. Brandon Lawrence and DeKyre Fuller each scored 12 points, and Jakob Zenon 10. Lawrence had eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Zenon had six boards and a steal. Ryan Pondant grabbed eight boards.

Mountain View's Justice Marmara had 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting. Gabe Acay had 10 points and a block, and Tommy Walton had nine points and seven boards. Jezrael De Jesus Fargas finished with six points and four steals. Johnny DeWalt had five rebounds.

North Lake connected on 10 three-pointers in 19 attempts from beyond the arc, and went 27-for-35 from the free throw line. Mountain View had nine triples, and shot 18 of 29 at the stripe. The Blazers doubled up the Lions on the boards, 43-23.

"The players have been working hard to improve since our double overtime win at Brookhaven," Blazers first-year head coach Josh Mills said. "That was kind of a wakeup call. Our defense has been our staple all year, and we hope we can continue relying on that moving forward."