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Posted: Apr 01, 2026

Joliet places sixth to lead trio of Region 4 teams at national tournaments

(Image courtesy of NJCAA)
(Image courtesy of NJCAA)

HERKIMER, N.Y. & DANVILLE, ILL. - Region 4 saw three men's basketball teams qualify and compete at their respective national tournaments in 2025-26. Joliet Junior College went 2-2 and finished in sixth place at the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championships, while Milwaukee Area Technical College and South Suburban College were a combined 1-4 at the NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships.

In upstate New York, the Wolves opened as the #12 seed in the 12-team field and proceeded to upset #5 Dallas College-Eastfield in an 84-83 thriller as Kareem Parker made the game-winning layup in the final seconds of a first round game that featured five ties and nine lead changes. Ricky Hill led JJC with 27 points, while Levi Goad added 15 points, Jyaveion Green had 13, and Parker came off the bench to produce ten. 

In the quarterfinals, Joliet Junior College was unable to keep up with #4 Salem Community College in the second half. The Wolves led by one at halftime and was outscored 57-43 in the final 20 minutes to take a 91-78 loss. All five starters scored in double-figures, led by a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds from Victor Yatou. Hill, Goad, and Jeff Fleming each had 13 points, with Green adding 11 points. Joliet dropped into the 5th Place Consolation bracket and won an overtime shootout with #9 Genesee Community College by a 102-100 final, with Parker once again filling the role of late-game hero. He hit another driving layup to beat the buzzer and finish with 13 points. Green dropped in 33 points and nabbed 11 rebounds, while Goad added 19 points. In the 5th Place game, the Wolves rallied late and took a 60-59 lead before taking a 70-66 loss to Riverland Community College. Goad poured in 24 points, with Fleming coming through with 19 points and 13 boards. Joliet Junior College finished the season 17-13.

In southern Illinois, Milwaukee Area Technical College secured the #3 seed, while South Suburban College earned the #9 seed. The Bulldogs lost 89-84 to eventual national runners-up and #8-seed Ellsworth Community College in the second round after receiving a bye. Trailing by 15 at halftime, SSC narrowed the deficit to four before taking the loss. Isaiah Green racked up 25 poitns off the bench, followed by 22 points from AJ Abrams, 16 points by Tanner Fields, and ten from Gakobie McNeal. In the 7th Place Consolation bracket, South Suburban squared off with #17 Lansing Community College in an elimination game that yielded ten ties and 18 lead changes. In overtime, the Stars doubled up the Bulldogs in the extra session to take a 92-86 win and end the Bulldogs season with a 27-8 record. Abrams went off for 32 points and Tanner Fields followed with 20 points. Samar Bures added 13 points and Angel Edmonson posted 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Milwaukee Tech also earned a first round bye and then matched up with #14 Coastal Alabama-North. Up by one late in a back-and-forth game, the Stormers sank a pair of free throws to take a three-point lead and then converted a late layup to put the game away in an 88-55 victory. Noah Daniels finished with 19 points, while the trio of QiAndre Washington, Jayden Hackett, and Turon Rivers each had 18 points. In the quarterfinals, MATC was down two at halftime against eventual national champion and #11-seed Parkland College, and were outscored by 11 in the second half for a 92-79 setback. Hackett was tops with 24 points and was joined in double-figures by Raydelh Boutin with 16, Jordan Jones with 13, and Washington with ten. Now facing elimination in the 5th Place Consolation bracket, the Stormers lost 90-68 against #1 Des Moines Area Community College. Hackett posted a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, followed by 19 points off the bench from Rivers. Milwaukee Tech finished 31-5 on the season. 

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