PICTURED: 2017 Senior Class
A season sweep of Augustana brought the North Park Vikings one step closer to a possible CCIW championship Saturday night.
One thing their 87-82 overtime victory did guarantee though is their first-ever spot in the conference postseason tournament the weekend of February 24-25.
Junior Colin Lake poured in a game-high 26 points as he connected for four three-pointers, T.J. Cobbs added 19, Juwan Henry 15 and Jordan Robinson 14 as the Vikes used a balanced attack to earn their 10th conference victory and a winning CCIW record for the first time since the 1993 season.
Colin Lake
For Henry he eclipsed the 2,000-point mark (2,002) and became only the third player in North Park men's basketball history and the 16th in CCIW history to attain the feat.
Although NP capped off a season sweep of Augie, it certainly didn't come easy. North Park held a 14-point advantage late in the first half and were leading 62-54 after a Billy Kirby three-pointer with 6:51 left, but Augustana used a 13-5 surge over a four-minute span to tie the game at 67-67 on a three-point play from Jacob Johnston. The visitors then took a one-point lead on 1 of 2 free throws from Chrishawn Orange with 1:12 remaining, but 1 of 2 free throws from Henry with 21 seconds left sent the game to an extra frame.
From there though North Park put the chokehold on as it scored the first seven points of the extra five minutes and held Augustana to only two field goals in the first three minutes. Augie did fight back to close within four in the waning seconds on an Orange three but Cobbs connected on 1 of 2 free throws to seal the win.
North Park's most impressive stat was its points in transition as the Vikes generated 23 points, including six in the extra frame, to Augustana's four. Prior to the game, the NP basketball program honored its eight senior student-athletes – Cobbs, Chris Freeman, Henry, Gavin Groszek, Joe Biko, Cam Burnett, Dyron Woods and Darius Brown – for the hard work and dedication they've given to the program over their time as student-athletes. Johnston led Augustana with 22 points.
North Park (17-7, 10-5) closes out the 2016-17 regular season against Millikin University Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
