ROCHESTER, Minn. - A year ago, Aprile Powell watched as the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team suffered through an 18-point loss to visiting Western Washington in the NCAA Division II West Regional championship game.
The Broncos looked on as their opponents cut down the nets in Kellogg Gym to celebrate a berth in the Elite Eight and a shot at a national title.
As a redshirt player, Powell wasn't eligible to take part in that game. So as she commiserated with her teammates, she made a vow to herself.
“We were so close (to reaching the Elite Eight), I knew I could make a difference. So I told myself I was going to work hard over the next year so we could get there,” said Powell. “That was the thing that motivated me to work on my whole game.”
On Saturday Powell made good her vow, scoring a game-high 26 points and grabbing 18 rebounds as Cal Poly Pomona captured the 2001 NCAA II national championship with an 87-80 overtime victory against North Dakota at Rochester, Minn.
It is the fourth national title for the Broncos and the programs first since 1986. It completed a 27-3 campaign that also included capturing the 2000-01 California Collegiate Athletic Association championship and winning the West Regional title.
When the team flew back from Minnesota Sunday morning, it was met at Ontario International Airport by a loud, enthusiastic throng of supporters.
The national champions were home.
“I can't believe it. This is great,” exclaimed Deanna Bergeson, one of two seniors on this year's squad. “This team really came together, on and off the court, and made this happen.”
Cal Poly Pomona faced some tough tests along the way. Even after beating Western Washington in the semifinal of this year's West Regional, the Broncos had to survive a hard-fought battle with Seattle Pacific in the regional final. Burgundie Porter's layup with one second remaining clinched a 63-62 victory and a trip to Rochester for the Elite Eight.
After a convincing 74-54 quarterfinal win over Pace University (N.Y.), Cal Poly Pomona faced top-ranked and undefeated Columbus State (Ga.) in the semifinals.
With his squad taking on the nation's No. 1 offensive team, head coach Paul Thomas changed his tactics, opting for a slower, more controlled tempo. The plan worked as the Broncos earned an 80-72 victory and a spot in Saturday's championship.
“Our kids did a great job executing the game plan there at the end,” said Thomas. “We got big rebounds when we needed them, big shots when we needed them and our free throws were key to the win.”
Facing North Dakota in the nationally televised championship game meant playing a team that had won three of the past four Division II titles. It also meant dealing with a partisan crowd of nearly 3,000 fans who had made the six-hour drive from Grand Forks to Rochester to root on the Fighting Sioux.
“I'm just going to imagine they're all cheering for me,” said senior LaTasha Burnett, who joined Powell on the Elite Eight all-tournament team. “First you imagine how the game will be played, then you start wondering what the ring will feel like if you win it.”
Maybe the biggest hurdle of all for the Broncos came three minutes into the game as North Dakota jumped to a 12-0 lead. With the partisan crowd roaring, drowning out the 50 Cal Poly Pomona fans on hand, it appeared the final step would be a stumble.
Instead, the Broncos rallied back, taking a 30-29 lead on a basket by Powell and eventually trailed by just one point, 30-29, at halftime.
It didn't get any easier in the second half. Trailing 59-50 with 6:14 left in regulation, Cal Poly Pomona answered with an 11-2 run over the next 2:19, a Powell 3-pointer tying the game 61-61. And it was a Burnett layup with 33 seconds remaining forged a 69-69 deadlock and sent the game to overtime.
“I told our kids to relax, have fun and enjoy it,” said Thomas, repeating what he'd told his team heading into the five minute extra period. “I really did feel we had the momentum at that point. All we had to do was execute.”
Burnett's message to her teammates was even simpler.
“I told them, 'Don't let them (North Dakota) take it back,'” she said.
Anna James hit a 3-pointer to open the overtime, putting the Broncos ahead to stay. Powell, later named the Elite Eight's Most Outstanding Player, made 3-pointer with 1:55 remaining that pushed the lead to 79-74.
As a team, Cal Poly Pomona converted 11 of 12 free throws in the OT to clinch the victory.
Burnett finished the championship game with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Porter added 15 points and six rebounds and junior Lauri McIntosh had 12 points and seven boards.
Thomas made sure to credit former head coach Darlene May with establishing the women's basketball program at Cal Poly Pomona. May, who retired as the Broncos head coach in July 1994 after being diagnosed with breast cancer, passed away in November 1996.
“Coach May was a big part of this. None of the kids currently on the team knew her, but they know who she was and what she did here,” said Thomas. “She was always with us this year and she was with us here.”
