The Madison College women’s basketball team is NJCAA Region 4 champions for the third time in school history after beating Rock Valley College, 64-59, on March 7 to win its first title since 2016 and first in Division II.
With the win, the WolfPack advances to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Hickory, North Carolina, from March 16-21.
It is the first time the women’s basketball team has advanced to the National Tournament since winning the Division III title in the 2009-2010 season. All this comes in Angel Whetstone’s third year as coach and just two years after a one-win season.
“It was just a really good feeling to finally get it and show them what we can do,” Whetstone said about winning the regional title.
“Literally, the first day of practice I brought in some gold scissors, and I told them we’re going to cut down some nets this year. And so, for us to really do that, it just meant the world to me.”
Although Rock Valley didn’t let them cut down the nets there, Whetstone was prepared and had a net the girls were able to use the scissors on in the locker room.
“At the end, they were like, ‘coach, where are the scissors, where are the scissors?’ It was like, they are in the locker room with our net,” Whetstone said. “So, it was just awesome. It was a good feeling.”
After two relatively easy wins in the first two rounds of the regional tournament, Madison College had to face Rock Valley College in the championship game.
The game was a close battle throughout, with six lead changes and neither team leading by more than nine points, a lead Madison College held with just over nine minutes left in the game.
But Rock Valley quickly closed the gap with seven unanswered points to pull within 55-53 with 6:27 left to play.
“They hit a lot of big shots in the fourth quarter,” Whetstone said. “So, we definitely felt the pressure. I think we did a really good job of holding our composure.”
After Rock Valley pulled within a point at 60-59 with 38 seconds left to play, freshman Serinity Metcalfe sealed the game for the WolfPack by sinking four free throws in the final five seconds after back-to-back intentional fouls by Rock Valley.
“Serinity knocked down some big free throws for us in the stretch to really put us up in the lead and the girls really locked in,” Whetstone said.
Metcalfe led all scorers in the game with 25 points. She also added six rebounds, three assists and five steals. Maddi DeSmet had 14 points and six rebounds, while Maia Ellis added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Madison College reached the championship game by beating Oakton College, 86-68, on Feb. 18. Metcalfe led the way with 31 points, while DeSmet scored 15 points.
The WolfPack shot 54.8% from the in victory, the first time since Feb. 3 the team hit that high of a percentage of its shots.
In the first round of the tournament, Madison College beat McHenry County College, 83-49, at home on Feb. 25. The WolfPack started slow, trailing 19-13 after the first quarter, but took command with a 21-8 second quarter.
Metcalfe again led the WolfPack with 25 points against McHenry County College, while DeSmet added 15 points and Dani Latz scored 11.
Madison College 78, Carl Sandburg College 75
Five players had 10 points or more in the 78-75 win over Carl Sandberg College at home on Feb. 21. Metcalfe had 21 points, while Jamera Green had 11 points. Latz, Ellis and DeSmet all had 10 points
Rock Valley College 72, Madison College 65
Madison College fell to Rock Valley College, 72-65, at home on Feb. 17 after seeing a 12-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate.
The WolfPack hit just 4 of 13 shots in the fourth quarter as Rock Valley grabbed the lead.
Metcalfe led Madison College with 19 points, while DeSmet scored 15 and Ellis added 14.
Madison College 75, Blackhawk Technical College 66
Jamera Green had 20 points including four three-pointers to lead Madison College to a 75-66 victory over Blackhawk Technical College on Feb. 14. DeSmet had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Metcalfe added 16 points.
