Zach Hankins scored 19 points as Ferris State beat Northern State (S.D.), 71-69, for the Division II national championship on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D.
It's the first national title for Ferris State in any sport and the first time a school from Michigan won the Division II men's basketball championship.
Hankins, the NABC Division II player of the year, made a layup with 1:31 to play to give the Bulldogs the lead for good. He was 8-for-15 from the field and had five rebounds.
Peter Firlik added 12 points and Markese Mayfield 11.
Mayfield made two free throws with 10 seconds left, though one one counted after a lane violation, to give FSU a two-point lead.
Northern State's Darin Peterka missed a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left and then corralled the rebound, but couldn't get another shot off before time expired.
The national championship is the first for Ferris State in any sport. It caps off a season that saw the Bulldogs win a record 26 consecutive games — a streak they will carry into next season.
Most of the crowd in attendance favored the home-state Wolves, but the Bulldogs tirelessly worked to silence that crowd. In the end, it was the Bulldogs (38-1) celebrating beneath the confetti and cutting down the nets.
"What a game," Ferris State head coach Andy Bronkema said after the game. "Both deserving teams. That's the thing about sports. It's about who is better on that day. I know a lot of teams that worked harder than us, but we get to be the champions, so we are very thankful and blessed."
Early on, Northern State seemed in control. The Wolves led for 13 minutes, 19 seconds in the first half by as many as six points. However, at the break, it was Ferris State on top 39-37. The Bulldogs tied it at 29 with 6:15 left in the half and the team traded baskets until the buzzer.
That two-point difference at the half ended up being the difference in the game as both teams scored 32 points after the break.
Bronkema credited his team's ability to sacrifice and work for each other.
"They know what they are doing," he said. "They know how to work together. Sometimes they don't even need me."
Zach Hankins, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, led the Bulldogs with 19 points, 14 of which came in the first half.
Hankins gave credit to his teammates for his play in this game and throughout the season.
"I couldn't have done it without them," Hankins said. "We wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for all of them."
Hankins said it was exhausting keeping up with Northern State's two big men, Carter Evans and Logan Doyle, who subbed in and out of the game every few minutes.
"They don't give you a break at all," Hankins said. "You just have to put in the work early. They both had great games, but the gameplan was to take away the shooters with the pick and roll and make them take it inside against me and score and they couldn't score enough."
Evans finished with 20 points on 10-for-14 shooting, while Doyle netted 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Hankins wasn't alone on the court Saturday. Peter Firlik added 12 points, while Markese Mayfield finished with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.
Two of Firlik's points came from the free-throw line and pulled the Bulldogs to within one, 69-68, with just over 2 minutes to play.
Hankins got the go-ahead basket 30 seconds later and Mayfield made the lead two with his free throw with 10 seconds on the clock.
Bronkema said he can't even begin to thank all the people that made the season possible.
"I'll contact them and continue to let them know what they have done for me is huge," he said. "This is the life I dreamed about living."
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