KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The music is still playing in the Heart of America and the Gyrenes are still dancing as they advanced to the Fab Four for the first time in program history. It took a hard fought 99-86 win over the Grace Lancers to win the Duer Quadrant and advance onto the NAIA Semifinals.
The first five minutes of the game started relatively slowly for a game featuring the Ave Maria Gyrenes. The lead bounced back and forth a couple of times, but the Lancers took a 13-9 lead into the first media timeout. Grace used their size to clog up and slow down the Gyrene offense.
Out of the first media timeout, Ave Maria settled in a took over the game. The Gyrenes went on a 12-0 run powered by Jack Watkins. The senior knocked down a three-pointer immediately out of the timeout and then jammed the ball home on a fast break off a Jay White steal. White and Alex Sherwood back-to-back two pointers and then Watkins hit his second three of the night to cap the run. In the span of two minutes, Ave Maria went from down four to leading by eight. The Gyrenes never trailed for the rest of the game.
Later on in the half, back-to-back three pointers from Jonathan Effertz and Bradley Alcime put the lead into double figures, and it remained that way for most of time remaining in the frame.
Right before the final buzzer in the opening half, Watkins rushed the basket and hit a layup to send the Gyrenes up 55-43 at the break. That was the eight field goal of the frame for Watkins, who went into the locker room with 21 points.
Grace took the momentum in the first ten minutes of the second half, turning a 12-point deficit at the half into just a five-point deficit. With just 11 minutes left to play, the Lancers had played themselves back into a two-possession game, but the Gyrenes did not panic.
Ave Maria responded with back-to-back threes from Effertz and Watkins, putting the lead back at 11.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, the Gyrenes continued to hit their shots and did not let Grace get closer than three possessions. Ave Maria hit their largest lead of the night with just three minutes remaining as a Watkins layup put the Gyrenes up by 15 points. When the final buzzer sounded, Ave Maria walked off the court with a 99-86 win and their first ever quadrant trophy.
Watkins dominated the offensive game for the Gyrenes, scoring a season-high 35 points. The Texan went a perfect 8-for-8 from downtown, setting the new program record for most three-pointers made without missing.
"[Advancing to the semifinal] means everything. It's our first time in Kansas City. First time in the [Round of 16], and we are just doing something that has never been done for our school. Just trying to put us on the map," said Watkins in the broadcast's post game interview. "I've been here three years and each year we keep improving, keep doing better, and I just love my team. Love playing with these guys and I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else."
Five other players hit double figures with Effertz at 13, Sherwood and White at 12, Marlon Bennett at 11 and Michael Klekas at 10. It is the first time since January 28 that the Gyrenes have had six players score in double figures.
Sherwood led the rebounding effort for the Gyrenes with 17 boards, tying for the third most rebounds in a game in program history. It also made Saturday his 16
th double-double of the season.
With the win, Ave Maria improves to 30-4 on the season and advances to the Fab Four as the Duer Quadrant Champions.
The Gyrenes get a day off before returning back to the court on Monday with a trip to the National Championship on the line. Standing in their way are the Langston Lions out of the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Lions advanced to the Fab Four in a drastically different way than the Gyrenes, outlasting the Rocky Mountain Battlin' Bears 60-55 in a defensive showdown. This is Langston's second ever Fab Four in school history, with the first coming in 2024.
Ave Maria and Langston have met on the court once before. On their way to the Fab Four in 2024, Langston eliminated Ave Maria in the second round. Langston has two players from 2024 squad still on the team, but both of them have yet to receive minutes in Kansas City. Ave Maria on the other hand, still has five players from that year on the team: Watkins, Klekas, Effertz, White and Mitch Lee. They remember 2024 very well and are looking to repay the favor.
The Semifinal game is set for Monday, March 23, with tipoff set for 8:30 p.m. eastern, 7:30 p.m. central. The game will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.
