UC Clermont Men s Basketball Compete in National Tourney

The UC Clermont College men’s basketball team recently completed another successful season. The Cougars ended the season as the Ohio Regional Campus Conference (ORCC) runner-up with a 16-2 record and state tournament champions with an overall record of 25-14.

For the third consecutive year, the Cougars earned a berth in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Tournament in Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, Maine. The men went into the tournament as the defending USCAA National Champs and No. 8 seed. They opened up tournament upsetting the No. 1 seed Penn State New Kensington, 72-68.

In the semi-finals the Cougars lost a hard fought heartbreaker to the eventual national champions - Williamson Trade College of Delaware County, Pa., 57-54. In the third place game UC Clermont College faced the No. 3 seed and host institution Southern Maine Community College.  The Cougars found their offense as they defeated Southern Maine 109-98 -- finishing third in the country.

Along with the team success, individuals earned honors as well. Seth Steele and Jahleal Jarmon (both from Hughes Center High School) earned third team all-conference while Stefan Dunn (Independence High School in Columbus) earned first team honors. Dunn also earned the highest honor of all being named national player of the year by the USCAA.

The Cougars played a difficult regular season schedule which included Northern Kentucky University, Christian Brothers, Cumberland College, Centre College, Spalding and Anderson University -- all NCAA participants.