DANVILLE, Ill. — Milwaukee Area Technical College could not overcome a barrage of well‑timed perimeter shots Thursday night, falling 92–79 to No. 11 seed Parkland in the NJCAA Division II Elite Eight at Mary Miller Gymnasium. The Cobras shot 55.9 percent from the field and 55 percent from three, and their 11 made threes repeatedly halted MATC's momentum at virtually every turn.

The Stormers spent most of the first half playing from behind and trailed by as many as 11 points. They finally grabbed their first lead in the closing seconds, but Parkland answered with a deep three at the buzzer that sent MATC into halftime down 39–37. It was the first of many momentum‑shifting shots that shaped the night.

Parkland's three‑point shooting arrived at every critical moment. After MATC briefly took a 52–51 lead on a Jayden Hackett three early in the second half, the Cobras immediately responded with a layup and another three to regain control. When Hackett tied the game at 56, Parkland hit back‑to‑back threes at 12:58 and 12:15 to push the margin to 62–56. The Stormers later cut the deficit to 66–63 and again to 75–71, but Parkland answered each time. Grant Chamberlain hit a three at 8:49, and Jaiden Martin delivered the biggest blow with 5:36 left to make it 78–71. MATC briefly pulled within five on a Jordan Jones steal and dunk with 4:58 remaining, but the Stormers never got closer.

"A lot of those threes were just incredibly timely, either late in the shot clock or right when we were starting to grab momentum," head coach Randy Casey said. "And it wasn't just one guy. They had multiple players step up and hit big shots. They made threes exactly when they needed them."

MATC also played without starting guard Noah Daniels, who missed the game due to injury. His absence affected both spacing and perimeter matchups, and it forced the Stormers into tighter defensive rotations against a team that moved the ball well.

"We just couldn't finish at the rim tonight, and that's something we've normally done pretty well," Casey said. "Qi'Andre Washington still got there a lot, but he missed some shots he usually makes. And Turon Rivers has been huge for us all year. He just had a bad night. That stuff happens. But not having one of our other top scorers out there with Noah being hurt takes another option away when something isn't working….It hurts when you know you're not at full strength for something like this."

Despite the loss, MATC won nearly every effort category. The Stormers held a 42–38 rebounding advantage, grabbed 16 offensive boards, won the turnover battle 12–10, and outscored Parkland 44–42 in the paint. The Cobras countered with efficiency, finishing with 18 assists on 33 made field goals and creating clean looks throughout the night.

"These guys don't need to hang their heads," Casey said. "Thirty‑plus wins and an Elite Eight appearance is nothing to be sad about. The ultimate goal gets taken away, but what they've accomplished this year is something we'll look back on and understand later."

The loss closes one of the most accomplished seasons in program history. MATC reached 30‑plus wins for the fifth time, captured the Region 4 Midwest District A title, produced three All‑Region selections including the Region 4 Player of the Year, and returned to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2024. The Stormers also put together a 24‑game winning streak and won 22 games by double digits.

STAT BOOK
Jayden Hackett led MATC with 24 points on 9‑for‑17 shooting, including six threes, and added four rebounds and two steals in a team-high 39 minutes. Raydelh Boutin finished with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. Jordan Jones added 13 points on 5‑for‑9 shooting and grabbed four rebounds in 28 minutes while starting in place of Daniels. Qi'Andre Washington had 10 points, five steals, four assists and four rebounds. Turon Rivers contributed six points and six rebounds in 18 minutes.

Off the bench, Ozzie Johnson provided 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds in 20 strong minutes. Freshman forward Jason Lawani added five rebounds and an assist, and freshman guard Sterling Hoarde supplied nine minutes of backcourt relief.

UP NEXT
MATC (31–4) moves into the consolation bracket and will play for a chance at a fifth‑place finish. The Stormers return to action today at 3 p.m. against Des Moines Area Community College. A win would advance MATC into the fifth‑place game on Saturday at 2 p.m., where they would face the winner of Palm Beach State vs. Pima. A loss would end the Stormers' season and send them home from Danville.