Former players, Simon Harris (‘04), Andrew Evans (‘15), and Chris Clemons (‘15) all shined this past week in their respective conference tournaments.
Harris, an assistant coach for the Dayton Women’s Basketball team helped the Flyers punch its ticket to the 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, earning an automatic bid following a 70-56 win over Duquesne in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament in Richmond, Virginia.
Harris scored 484 career points at Millbrook, and grabbed nearly 300 collegiate rebounds between Elon University, and NC State. 2016-17 marks his sixth season as an assistant at Dayton University, the last three have been spent with the Women’s Basketball program. This is the first time that the Flyers have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in Harris’ tenure.
For the first time in school history, UNC Pembroke punched its ticket with an automatic berth to the Division-II NCAA Tournament following a Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship. Andrew Evans (‘15) has missed the last ten games due to a season-ending ligament tear but he was able to celebrate with his fellow Braves after they topped Columbus State 89-77 in the tournament championship.
Evans appeared in 21 games this season, starting on nine occasions. The sophomore guard averaged 7.9 points per game with a 43-percent shooting clip from beyond the arc. He also chipped in 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per contest. UNCP will take on Limestone in the Division-II Southeast Regional at Queens University.
Chris Clemons (‘15) put on the most outstanding performance of the week by setting Big South Tournament records in points, field goals, and three-point makes. The 5’9 guard took the country by storm on Thursday evening by totaling a conference-record 51 points in an upset win over UNC Asheville.
Clemons nearly completed Campbell’s cinderella run with a trip to the “big dance” on Sunday afternoon as the Camels’ fourth game of the week ended with a loss to host Winthrop. In total, he scored 140 points (35 per game), and knocked down 20 three’s.
According to ESPN’s stat bureau, Clemons became the first player in Division-I basketball since BYU’s Jimmer Fredette to total 50+ points in a conference tournament game.
Another trio of former Wildcats will test their fate this week as Jake Wilson (‘14) will head to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with Appalachian State, Brandon Goldsmith (‘14) and Walters State Junior College will play host in the NJCAA Region VII Tournament, and Trejon Jacob (‘16) will take the court starting on Wednesday in the NJCAA Regional II Tournament with Seminole State Junior College.
For more information on alumni of the Millbrook Men’s Basketball program, search social media using the hashtag “#WildcatsInCollege”.