Sewardsaints.com

COFFEYVILLE – Milestones have become a theme for the Seward County Saints this season, and another one arrived Wednesday night as the fifth-seeded Saints advanced to the Region 6 Semifinals for the first time since the 2018-19 season with an 84-75 win over four-seed Coffeyville at Nellis Hall.

Seward (20-12) advances to the Region 6 semifinals on Friday at 3 p.m., taking on host school and one-seeded Barton Community College at Fleske Fieldhouse. The winner plays in the championship on Saturday for a berth in the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in Hutchinson.

The Saints led from start to finish as they took down the Red Ravens (21-10) on their home floor. It marks Seward's first win in Coffeyville since 2010.

Seward started the game on an 11-0 run before Coffeyville got on the board five minutes in. The lead swelled to 16 after a three from Lyna Brooks Jr. made it 23-7 with 10 minutes to go in the first half. Seward kept its foot on the gas taking a 42-27 lead to halftime.

Coffeyville came out strong in the second half as they swiftly trimmed the Saints lead to single digits two minutes in. The Red Ravens pulled within two at the 14:47 mark on a Daniel Ntambwe jumper that made it 45-43. Coffeyville cut the Seward lead to two multiple times but the Saints always had an answer.

Seward's Antonio Williams Jr. hit two threes on back-to-back possessions with 11:14 to play to put the Saints ahead 62-55. From the 10-minute mark on Coffeyville did not come within five. An Awit Mamer jumper put Seward ahead by 16 with 5:28 remaining. Coffeyville cut the lead to seven down the stretch but the Saints converted free throws to get by with the win.

Williams Jr. led Seward with 21 points off the bench shooting 11-15 from the free throw line. Bailey Milligan had 14 points while JJ Chapman pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds to go with eight points. Lucas N'Gombo was the lone other Saint in double figures with 10 points. Brooks Powers finished with six points including a dagger three with two minutes to play.

The Saints shot 24-53 (45.3%) from the field, 9-23 (39.1%) from three and 27-33 (81.8%) from the free throw line. They finished with 43 bench points compared to Coffeyville's eight. The Saints had 13 assists to 12 turnovers.

Coffeyville was led by Ntambwe who had 24 points and 13 rebounds. Jack Sorrell finished with 18 points and 10 assists.

Coffeyville shot 22-50 (44%) from the field, 5-21 (23.8%) from three and 26-37 (70.3%) from the free throw line. They had 14 turnovers.

Seward earned the postseason win after going 0-2 vs. Coffeyville during the regular season including losing on a buzzer-beater at Nellis Hall on Jan. 28..