Aggies Start Packing For Kansas City Trip
By HERB JACOBS
OKLAHOMA CITY – With the NAIA District 9 basketball championship safely slowed away, the Cameron Angles today began packing their bags Tor a trip to the National tournament in Kansas City.
Coach Rod Miller's Aggies secured the District 9 title in convincing fashion last night blasting defending champion Oklahoma Baptist, 76-59, before 3,500 fans at Frederickson Fieldhouse.
The Ags fired away at a blazing 64.3 percent clip in the second half, hitting 18 of 28 attempts, to leave the Bison in their wake.
A 10-point streak early in the second half put Cameron in a commanding position, 45-29. OBU made a mild run by closing to 62-53 with 3:53 remaining, but Jerry Davenport and Co. met the challenge with six quick points.
That spurt assured the Aggies of the district title and a trip to the National tournament, which begins Monday in Kansas City, Mo.
This is the first year Cameron has been eligible to win the championship. Miller's men will take a 24-5 record into the 32 team event.
Cameron never trailed last night. OBU did tie the score at six and 16, but a six-point spurt late in the first half turned a 25-22 stem-winder into a 31-22 advantage.
Ron Powdrell's jumper at the horn arranged a 33-25 halftime lead. The Bison closed to six points twice early in the second half, then Davenport sparked the 10-point streak that put Cameron firmlyin control.
Davenport scored the first bucket, assisted Roscoc Simmons on the second, hit the third from 15 feet, fed John Moody for No. 4 then broke loose on a fast break for the fifth goal.
The shooting, of Moody and Simmons helped Cameron stay from 12 to 15 points ahead until the six minute mark. Then Irvin Kiffin, David Gurner and Don Kiffin hit consecutive goals to bring OBU to 62-53.
Frank Ragland broke the string by converting a one-and-one free throw situation. Davenport then stole the ball twice in succession and drove for fielders that locked it up at 68-53 with 2:35 to go.
Davenport led the Aggies with 24 points getting 10 in the first half and 14 in the second half. He also contributed seven of Cameron's 19 assists.
Moody, limited to four points in the first half, broke loose after intermission. The 6-6 senior hit six of eight buckets to raise his total to 16.
Simmons came off of the bench when Ragland got into foul trouble and hit four straight field goals and three of four free throws for 11 points. Big Ralph Palomar added 10, and his eight rebounds helped Cameron to a 37-29 board advantage.
OBU had four in double figures. I. Kiffin led with 15, D. Kiffin , Gurner and Henry Todd scored 10 each. I. Kiffin matched Palomar's rebound total.
The Ags started slowly, hitting just 12 of 32 from the floor in the first half. But Miller's men had control of the boards, and the pressure 2-3 zone defense forced 10 Bison mechanical errors.
Powdrell had four assists and Ragland three for the Aggies, while Todd had five and Charles Jones four for OBU.
