MARY MILLER CENTER | DANVILLE, Ill. - The remarkable 2025-26 season for Coastal Alabama - North Men's Basketball officially came to an end on Wednesday afternoon, Mar. 18 after the Coyotes fell 77-59 to Johnson County Community College (Kan.) in the consolation round of the NJCAA D-II National Championship Tournament. The consolation contest on Wednesday comes one day after the 'Yotes dropped a tightly contested 88-85 battle as the No. 14 seed to the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Area Technical College (Wis.) in the second round, being eliminated from national title contention in the process.
Coastal Alabama - North, led by fifth-year head coach Chuck Taylor, closes the campaign at 25-11 overall.
Second Round Heartbreak
Coastal Alabama - North had opportunities late to take the lead over Milwaukee Area Tech in the second round of the tournament, but a pair of turnovers in the final 10 seconds prevented the Coyotes from getting a shot off in the closing moments of the then one-point contest. The loss sent the Coyotes to the consolation bracket and eliminated any shot at hoisting the NJCAA National Championship trophy.
The second-round game featured 15 ties and 14 lead changes, with the Coyotes taking a narrow 46-45 advantage into halftime before Milwaukee Area Tech edged ahead in the second half.
Offensively, Coastal - North was led by Chimeziri Okeoma, who scored a game-high 25 points while knocking down five three-pointers. Eli Pippins added 23 points along with six assists and four steals, while Bryce Wilkins posted 21 points and a team-high nine rebounds on an efficient 8-for-10 shooting performance. Additional contributions came from Bryson Holmes, who recorded six points and seven rebounds, and Jayden Evans, who chipped in six points off the bench.
As a team, the Coyotes shot 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc while converting 16 of 18 free throws. Coastal - North also held a slight rebounding advantage, 26-23, but Milwaukee Area Tech capitalized on turnovers, scoring 27 points off 18 Coastal giveaways.
The 'Yotes battled throughout the second half and pulled within one point in the final minute, highlighted by a late basket from Wilkins that made it 84-83. After defensive stops and chances to reclaim the lead, the final possessions ultimately swung the game in Milwaukee's favor.
Despite the result, the Coyotes' run to the national tournament capped a standout campaign that included conference success and a first-round win on the national stage.
Consolation Highlights
In the 77-59 consolation loss to Johnson County on Wednesday, Eli Pippins led all scorers with 17 points in his final game as a Coyote. Meanwhile, Bryce Wilkins posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Al'Terrius Beasley wrapped up his Coastal career by tallying nine points from off the bench. Both Chimeziri Okeoma and David Culbreath-Martin scored five points apiece.
The 'Yotes only shot 39 percent against Johnson County, making just five of 21 total three-point attempts. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers shot 50 percent and saw four players finish in double figures. Johnson County ranked No. 3 in the latest NJCAA D-II Men's Basketball Top 25 prior to this start of the national tournament.
Season reflection
It was a strong season for the Coastal Alabama - North Coyotes out of Monroeville, Ala. The second-round appearance on the national stage marked one of the program's deepest runs at the NJCAA Division II National Championship Tournament in history and capped a season that included a 15-1 conference record, which eventually led to ACCC D-II Regular Season and Tournament Championships.
The campaign Coastal Alabama - North put together this year set a strong foundation for the program moving forward.
FOLLOW THE YOTES
For coverage of Coastal Alabama North Athletics, follow the Coyotes on social media at /CoastalAlabamaNorth (Facebook), @CoastalAL_north (Twitter), and @coastalal_north (Instagram), or visit the official home of the Coastal Alabama North Athletic Department at https://coastalcoyotessnorth.com/index.aspx.
