Region V championship games set

A ticket to the NJCAA national tournament will be handed out on Saturday afternoon to at least two of the Region V blue bloods today in Wolfforth.

The New Mexico Junior College Lady Thunderbirds and South Plains Lady Texans will square off for the Region V women's title, while Ranger College and Midland College will vie for the men's title.

The NMJC and South Plains battle will showcase two perennial women's powers. The two squads finished 1-2 in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference standings this season. SPC, the WJCAC champion, is 20-9 overall. NMJC is 24-5.

SPC opened the Region V tournament with a win over Hill College in the quarterfinals on Thursday. They followed that up with a double-overtime win over No. 11 McLennan Community College on Friday in the semis.

NMJC defeated Grayson College and Collin College in the first two rounds.

The men's showdown will feature two of the top men's teams in Ranger College and Midland College.

Midland College, 26-6 overall, rolls into the finals following a controversial win over Odessa College on Friday. The Wranglers' last-second shot at a win was waved off by officials when they decided it came went in after the final buzzer has sounded. The ruling preserved the Chaps' 1-point win.

As a team, the Chaparrals enter the finals averaging more than 80npoints per game.

In Ranger College, the Chaps will meet a veteran squad just two seasons removed from a trip to the national tournament. The NTJCAC champion, Ranger cruised into the finals with an easy win over Weatherford College on Friday.

Ranger College is 26-6 this season.

Fans can tune in to the games at:

https://tsbnsports.com/2023-region-5-womens-basketball-tournament/

https://tsbnsports.com/2023-region-5-mens-basketball-tournament/