WARREN, Mich. – On Monday (Feb. 21), No. 8 Macomb Men's Basketball did something the program hasn't done since the 1992-93 season. With an 81-67 victory over Delta College, the Monarchs clinched a share of the MCCAA Eastern Conference Championship to earn the program's first conference title since the 1992-93 campaign (fourth overall). With two difficult games remaining in the regular season, the Monarchs need to win one game to win the conference crown outright. To make it more impressive? The Monarchs achieved this in head coach Hassan Nizam's first year at the helm.
To put the accomplishment into perspective, Coach Niz, 27, wasn't born the last time Macomb Men's Basketball earned a conference title.
On Monday, the Monarchs were determined from the opening tip to clinch the share and did just that, leading by as many as 20 points to earn the 81-67 victory, moving their record to 22-3 overall and 12-2 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference. The Monarchs led 43-35 at the break behind 24 combined points out of Elijah Belle (Detroit, Mich./Davenport) and John Ukomadu (Bloomfield, Mich./Vincennes). The eight-point halftime lead was a product of a 54.8% shooting performance in the opening half.
In the second half, the Monarchs led by as many as 20, but had to withstand several runs by a talented Pioneers team. In the end, the Blue & White shot 51.5% for the game and answered every Pioneer run to lock up a share of the league title.
Ukomadu led the Monarchs with 22 points on several highlight reel dunks and blocks, while Belle followed closely with 19 points and four assists. Jaylen Daughtery (Detroit, Mich./Mott CC) was impressive on both ends of the floor with 14 points, 15 rebounds and five steals in 37 minutes of action. Jiovanni Miles (Novi, Mich./Wisconsin-Green Bay) checked in with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists to record another balanced effort for the Monarchs.
After pouring in 33 points Saturday, Tariq Humes (Farmington, Mich./Elevation Prep) chipped in with eight points and dished out four assists. Delano Williams (Mt. Clemens, Mich./Mt. Clemens) rounded out the top performances with five points and two assists.
The eighth-ranked Monarchs visit No. 19 Henry Ford Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
