In the last game of the Men’s NCAA Tournament First Round on Sunday (NZT) Tobias Cameron and Abilene Christian University Wildcats caused a major upset.
The Wildcats ranked a lowly 14 pipped #3 Texas 53-52 to advance to the second round at the Big Dance.
The former Junior Tall Black played eight minutes off the bench claiming a rebound as ACU produced a memorable performance and advance to the last 32.
The other Kiwi representatives in the Men’s NCAA Tournament exited in the first round on Saturday.
Thomas Webley, the Cantabrian forward, secured 2 rebounds plus a pair of blocks as University of Hartford Hawks were ousted 79-55 by #1 Baylor.
Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance Hartford made an impressive start leading 14-13 after 12 minutes before Baylor, favoured to reach the Final Four, pulled away for a clear-cut win.
Webley, the former Cashmere High School standout, has enjoyed a successful freshman year scoring in double figures twice averaging 3 points and 2.6 boards in 21 appearances and winning two America East Conference Freshman of the Week Awards.
At the Men’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT) James Moors and Colorado State won an exciting contest against Buffalo 75-73 on Saturday.
The former Westlake Boys forward scored 11 points (5/10FG) and added 5 rebounds and a brace of assists, blocks and steals.
At the Women’s NIT Charlotte Whittaker and Colorado University Buffaloes charged past Nebraska 75-71. The Cantabrian forward matched her career best 15 points in the win and also scooped 7 rebounds in her 50th game for the Buffaloes.
Kendell Heremaia flirted with a triple double as Fordham University bowed out of the NIT going down 81-64 to Ohio. Heremaia finished with a team high 20 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals. She is now just 26 points shy of 1,000 career points at Fordham.
Emme Shearer led the Portland scoring in the Women’s Basketball Invitational claiming 13 points (3/4 3PG) as the Pilots comfortably navigated their way past Abilene Christian 67-42 on Saturday.
On Sunday Portland beat Northern Arizona 80-65 in the semi-final with Shearer again in good form. The former Harbour Breeze guard tallied 12 points (6/10FG) plus a pair of steals and assists.
Portland will meet Cleveland State in the Final.
Coming up this week:
Monday
Women’s NCAA Tournament First Round
Washington State (Charlisse and Krystal Leger-Walker) v South Florida
Women’s Basketball Invitational Final
Portland (Emme Shearer) v Cleveland State
Tuesday
Women’s NCAA Tournament First Round
Virginia Commonwealth (Akiene-Tera Reed) v #4 Indiana
Kaylee Smiler and Tegan Graham (BYU) v Rutgers
#3 Arizona (Tara Manumaleuga) v Stony Brook
Men’s NCAA Tournament Second Round
Abilene Christian (Tobias Cameron) v UCLA
Women’s NIT Quarter Final
Colorado (Charlotte Whittaker) v Mississippi/Tulane
Friday
Men’s NIT Quarter Final
Colorado State (James Moors) v North Carolina State
