HUDSON, NC (By Colt Jensen of CCC&TI – March 12, 2018)…After finishing the regular season with an Impressive 20-9 (7-4 in Conference) record, the Caldwell Tech Cobras looked well positioned to compete for a Region X conference title.
In their first game of the conference tournament, Caldwell Tech proved they were a true force to be reckoned with.
In the opening quarterfinal matchup of Region X conference tournament play, the Caldwell Cobras demolished the Clinton College Bears 101-73.
In the game against Clinton, Caldwell had five players score in double figures, and two players register double doubles. Guard Chase Byrd led the Cobras with 17 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists. Fellow guard, Brandon White, also had an impressive double double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. White also shot, an almost perfect, 7-8 from the field.
After the big win against Clinton, Caldwell Tech prepared to take on a familiar foe in the semifinal round.
Caldwell’s Region X semifinal matchup was against the USC Salkehatchie Indians. During the regular season the two teams split their two-game series. Each team won the game played on their home court.
However, in the semifinal rubber match between the two teams, Caldwell Tech and their high scoring offense did not fair well. USC Salkehatchie played suffocating defense, and the Cobras failed to score 50 points in game for the first time all year. Ultimately, Caldwell lost 62-43 to USC Salkehatchie.
The semifinal loss left Caldwell Tech with slim odds of making the NJCAA tournament as an at large bid. On Monday, when the 24-team field was announced on Monday the Cobras were not included. No team that lost more than six games was granted an at large bid.
Despite the semifinal loss and failure to qualify for the NJCAA tournament, the 2017-2018 season was still a very impressive year for the Cobras.
In only their second year at the Division I level, the Cobras were able to finish third in the regular season conference standings, make it to the semifinals of the conference tournament and were one of only two teams in their conference to finish the regular season with 20 or more wins. This was also the seventh consecutive season that Caldwell Tech finished with 20 or more wins. That kind of consistency is almost unheard of at the NJCAA level.
The Caldwell Cobras will now turn their focus to recruiting where they will look to reload their roster with talent with enough talent to make another run at the a NJCAA tournament next year.