March 2, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Brockton Kohler sank two free throws with 10.7 seconds remaining helping the Grand Rapids Community College's men's basketball to an 81-78 win over Delta College on Thursday.
In the earlier game, Sally Merrill scored a career-high 31 points, but the women’s team fell 78-65 in the team's final regular-season game.
With the win, the men's team will head to the postseason on a six-game winning streak, with a 21-7 overall record and 9-5 conference record. The team finished in third place.
“It was a back and forth battle all the way to the finish,” coach Joe Fox said. “We got some great performances down the stretch tonight, particularly from Kohler, Isaac Warning, and Danyel Bibbs. Defensively, Carter Thomas, Bashir Neely and Seth Schuitema all had a huge impact. I'm proud of this team’s regular season. Twenty-one wins is a great bounce back after a rough year last year from a wins and losses standpoint. Seeing the maturation of the sophomores has been great.”
Kolher's game-high 21 points included five three-pointers on 7-of-13 from the field.
Isaac Warning played a career-high 38 minutes and scored a career-best 18 points and had a team-high nine rebounds.
Danyel Bibbs had 17 points, six rebounds and a game-high nine assists.
The women's team led 16-15 after the first quarter, but Delta College erupted for 28 points in the second quarter and built a lead that GRCC couldn't surpass.
GRCC did have fewer turnovers and more steals and assists than the visitors, but were out-rebounded by 14, which was an uncommon occurrence as the team ranks as one of the top rebounding teams in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association.
Merrill's 31 points came just two nights from her previous career-high of 30 points against Kirtland Community College. Grace Lodes led the team with nine rebounds, three blocks and five steals while scoring seven points.
The team dropped from second place in the conference to finish tied for third with a 10-4 record.
Muskegon Community College will host GRCC's women's team on March 7 in the first round of the playoffs, while GRCC's men's team hosts Delta College. Both games will be at 7 p.m. If either team wins, it will advance to the semi-finals later in the week at Mott Community College.
This story was reported by Ben Brown.