The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 29, 1999

Garcia leads Panthers to 75-60 victory

Basketball tradition runs deep at Kentucky Wesleyan.

Going into the Division II Men's Basketball Championship game March 20 at Louisville, the Panthers had won six titles, more than any other school.

But Kentucky Wesleyan had not won since 1990 and had never worn a crown under fourth-year coach Ray Harper. Sure, the Panthers came close last year, losing to UC Davis in the championship game.

But given the tradition, close will not do. The 75-60 domination in this year's title game over Metro State will.

Led by Division II's Mr. Everything Antonio Garcia, the Panthers fashioned a 36-22 half-time lead, then cruised to victory. Garcia scored 22 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and dished out six assists, all game-high totals, to add the 1999 edition of the Elite Eight's most outstanding player honor to his trophy case. He also won the 1998 award in last year's losing effort.

Kentucky Wesleyan, which finished the year with a 35-2 record, losing only to SIU-Edwardsville and Lewis, improved its championship-game record to 7-2. In addition to last year's runner-up finish, the Division II power lost in the championship game in 1957, the first year of the tournament.

Kentucky Wesleyan's balanced attack also featured 15 points from Dana Williams and 10 each from Pat Critchelow and Will McDonald. Both Williams and Garcia were repeaters on the all-tournament team. Metro State's Lee Barlow, who led the Roadrunners with 19 points, also made the team, as did teammate DeMarcos Anzures, who had eight points in the title game. John Bynum added 15 for Metro State in the championship game.

Innocent Kere of Florida Southern was the only player not in the championship game to make the all-tournament team.

Kentucky Wesleyan advanced to the title game after an 87-67 thrashing of Florida Southern in the semifinals behind 22 points from Williams, 17 from Pat Critchelow, 14 from Gino Bartolone and 11 points and 13 rebounds from Garcia.

Metro State, which ended the season with a 28-6 record, advanced to its first championship game with a 69-65 win over Truman State in the semifinals. The Roadrunners had made the tournament three previous times but had never advanced to the Elite Eight.

SEMIFINALS

Metro St. 69, Truman St. 65

Metro St.: Rashawn Fulcher 0-1, 0-2, 3, 0; Michael Alcock 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Lee Barlow 8-17, 10-12, 11, 26; Shane Ah Matt 4-6, 0-0, 1, 11; DeMarco Anzures 2-11, 1-2, 2, 6; Kane Oakley, 3-4, 0-0, 7, 6; Richard Lugowski 6-10, 0-0, 2, 16; John Bynum 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2; David Adler 0-3, 2-4, 1, 2; Jody Hollins 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 24-56, 13-20, 29 (1 team), 69.

Truman St.: Cory Parker 6-11, 8-12, 12, 21; Brian Brown 5-9, 3-4, 2, 14; Jason Reinberg 3-10, 3-6, 8, 9; Mike Peterson 2-5, 3-3, 1, 9; Andy Guethle 0-4, 2-2, 5, 2; Jason Ramthun 1-4, 1-4, 3, 4; Spencer Douglas 0-2, 0-0, 1, 0; Chris Foulk 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2; Jason Ward 2-2, 0-0, 3, 4; Kyle Egan 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 20-50, 20-31, 41 (2 team), 65.

Half time: Metro St. 39, Truman St. 22. Three-point field goals: Metro St. 8-14 (Ah Matt 3-5; Anzures 1-3, Lugowski 4-6); Truman St. 5-15 (Parker 1-2, Brown 1-2, Reinberg 0-1, Peterson 2-3, Guethle 0-2, Ramthun 1-3, Foulk 0-2). Disqualifications: Oakley, Douglas. Officials: Bob Madigan, John Kelley, Steve Dreher. Attendance: 3,020.

Ky. Wesleyan 87, Fla. Southern 67

Ky. Wesleyan: Dana Williams 6-12, 9-13, 13, 22; Adam Mattingly 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Antonio Garcia 5-8, 1-5, 13, 11; Chris Haskin 4-10, 1-2, 3, 12; Pat Critchelow 6-11, 3-3, 3, 17; Will McDonald 2-8, 4-4, 7, 9; Gino Bartolone 4-5, 2-2, 2, 14; Leroy John 1-3, 0-0, 2, 2; Anwar Perry 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jeff Krohman 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 28-58,. 20-29, 45 (2 team), 87.

Fla. Southern: Jimmie Baker 6-6, 3-5, 4, 15; Scott Holden 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Innocent Kere 6-15, 1-3, 12, 13; Mike McManamey 4-11, 1-1, 2, 11; Corey Tumer 2-12, 0-1, 5, 5; Jamie Phillips 2-5, 8-9, 3, 12; Derek Heard 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Hermino Bermudez 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Nick Railsback 1-4, 0-0, 1, 3; Graham Robinson 3-6, 1-2, 2, 8. TOTALS: 24-62, 14-21, 33 (2 team), 67.

Half time: Ky. Wesleyan 42, Fla. Southern 34. Three-point field goals: Ky. Wesleyan (Williams 1-2, Mattingly 0-1, Haskin 3-5, Critchelow 2-5, McDonald 1-4, Bartolone 4-4, John 0-1); Fla. Southern (McManamey 2-6, Tumer 1-7, Railsback 1-4, Robinson 1-2). Disqualifications: Holden. Officials: Bart Wegenke, Kevin McGoff, Michael Irving. Attendance 3,020.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Ky. Wesleyan 75, Metro St. 60

Ky. Wesleyan: Dana Williams 6-13, 3-4, 7, 15; Adam Mattingly 1-4, 1-2, 1, 3; Antonio Garcia 8-13, 6-8, 19, 22; Chris Haskin 2-8, 0-0, 4, 5; Pat Critchelow 2-4, 5-6, 2, 10; Gino Bartolone 2-4, 0-0, 0, 5; Will McDonald 3-4, 1-2, 2, 10; Leroy John 2-6, 0-0, 3, 4; Travis Powell 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Anwar Perry 0-0, 1-2, 0, 1; Rush Witt 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jeff Krohman 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jason Indestad 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 26-56, 17-24, 39 (1 team), 75.

Metro St.: Rashawn Fulcher 1-6, 3-4, 5, 5; Michael Alcock 2-3, 0-0, 6, 4; Lee Barlow 9-23, 1-2, 5, 19; Shane Ah Matt 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; DeMarcos Anzures 4-15, 0-0, 3, 8; Kane Oakley 3-8, 0-0, 9, 6; Richard Lugowksi 0-3, 0-0, 3, 0; John Bynum 6-10, 2-3, 5, 15; David Adler 1-5, 0-0, 0, 3; Jody Hollins 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 26-75, 6-9, 43 (5 team), 60.

Half time: Ky. Wesleyan 36, Metro St. 22. Three-point field goals: Ky. Wesleyan 6-14 (Mattingly 0-1, Haskin 1-3, Critchelow 1-3, Bartolone 1-3, McDonald 3-4); Metro St.: 2-12 (Barlow 0-1, Ah Matt 0-1, Anzures 0-5, Lugowski 0-2, Bynum 1-1, Adler 1-3). Disqualifications: Alcock. Officials: Bart Wegenke, Kevin McGoff, Michael Irving. Attendance: 4.013.