February 27, 2022
CLUTCH NO.13 EAGLES MAKE REGIONAL FINALS
MASON CITY - The 13th-ranked Kirkwood men's basketball team is coming home to play for the regional title Thursday night against the arch-rival DMACC Bears.
The Eagles escaped NIACC, 80-75, in the regional semifinals Sunday night with a series of clutch plays in the final minutes on NIACC's home floor.
The game was tied, 69-69, with two minutes left when the Eagles went to work. Dre Anderson scored to make it 71-69, then found DaChaun Anderson for a three-point play and 74-69 lead with 61 seconds to play.
Dante Eldridge cashed two free throws with 43.7 seconds remaining for a 76-69 advantage, then DaChaun Anderson hit two more foul shots to make it 78-69 with 27.3 seconds left to finish a decisive 9-0 spurt.
NIACC made it tense with a pair of 3-pointers, pulling within 78-75, but Dre Anderson made two free throws with 10.1 seconds remaining for the final count.
Dre Anderson led Kirkwood with 18 points and four 3-pointers. Eldridge finished with 15 points, four blocks, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Blake Brinkmeyer and DaChaun Anderson collected big double-doubles and had big rebounds in the final minutes. Brinkmeyer posted 16 points and 12 rebounds. DaChaun Anderson had 14 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.
Kirkwood buried Iowa Central, 78-44, in the opening round of the regional tournament Saturday.
Kirkwood (24-7) and DMACC (24-7) tied for the ICCAC regular-season title, but the Eagles swept the Bears during the regular season to earn the No. 1 seed for the regional finals Thursday night at 7:30.
