Cal Poly Pomona wins NCAA Division II basketball title

Reporting from Springfield, Mass. — 

For Cal Poly Pomona, this NCAA Division II national championship run was as much about redemption as it was about winning a title.

One year after losing on a game-winning three-pointer in overtime against Findlay (Ohio) in the national final, the Broncos rose to the top of the Division II basketball world and erased the heartbreak with a 65-53 victory over Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday afternoon at the MassMutual Center.

Just before the clock struck zero, the Broncos (28-6) began celebrating their first Division II men’s basketball title and the satisfying completion of a journey.

Senior guard Austin Swift, selected the most outstanding player of the Elite Eight, said he could breathe a sigh of relief once the buzzer sounded.

“It feels good to come back and get the win after a heartbreaking loss last year,” said Swift, the net hanging around his neck during the postgame news conference. “We fought hard and put it all out there on the floor. There was no denying us tonight.”

From start to finish, the Broncos were the better team. They shot 53.2% (25 for 47) from the field and used a balanced attack to secure victory against the second-ranked Crimson Hawks (33-3).

Donnelle Booker, injured all of last season, had 13 points and five rebounds.

Swift and Dahir Nasser, the only two seniors on the roster, scored 12 points apiece. Tobias Jahn made all three of his shots from the field and scored 10 points for Cal Poly, which won 21 of its last 22 games after a 7-5 start.

“Indiana is a great team, but our kids played super tonight,” Cal Poly Coach Greg Kamansky said. “Our will power was tremendous. We probably played the best we have played all year. The ghost of last year will never haunt us again.”

Cal Poly came out playing aggressive zone defense, guarding the IUP shooters on the outside and denying passes into the post.

Nasser hit back-to-back jumpers near the free-throw line before Booker drove into the lane for a layup and a 6-0 lead. The quick start forced the Crimson Hawks to call a timeout.

It didn’t help. Cal Poly maintained the upper hand throughout the first half, building a double-digit lead and preventing the explosive IUP offense from getting untracked.

The Broncos, meanwhile, were on a roll offensively. They shot 53% in the first half and made five three-pointers in building a 35-25 halftime lead.

IUP shot only 28.8% in the first half and stayed in the game only by making 10 of 12 free throws.

The Broncos weren’t threatened in the second half, never letting their lead slip below 10 points.

IUP finished the game shooting 30.2% (16 for 53) from the field, the fourth lowest in Elite Eight history. Darryl Webb scored 12 points and Akida McLain added 10.

As the final seconds ticked away, Nasser was already in front of a camera near center court, shouting and wearing a wide smile.

“I was definitely in the moment,” Nasser said. “I just sat there on the court after the game and enjoyed watching everyone celebrate. I’ve been waiting for this since last year. I wanted to savor every minute of it.”

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