Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and to hear post-game comments from D'Marco Chelley, Mykel Lindsey, and Coach Matt Johnson.

---PHOTOS, VIDEOS, INTERVIEWS TO BE POSTED LATER WEDNESDAY---

ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse men's basketball team passed its first test of the post-season Tuesday night, and although it wasn't the prettiest, the Norse survived with a 93-78 win over the Delta College Pioneers out of Saginaw.

The win in the NJCAA Region 12 quarterfinals sends the Norse to the regional Final Four for the second straight year, and they'll face the Ancilla College Chargers out of Indiana.
 

The Chargers went 20-8 this season with a brutal non-conference schedule. They defeated Grand Rapids, 83-62, Tuesday night.
 

The Norse never really could put the Delta Pioneers away, but did beat them for the third time this season with a fast-paced tempo offense.

Bay had five players score in double figures, and they fought off Delta's size advantage with big guys Willie Humphrey and Brendon Schlink. The Norse were in control all night long, but Delta did not go away, making several runs to stay alive in the game. The Pioneers never could get the lead, however.

The Pioneers closed to within 30-28 late in the second half before D'Marco Chelley came off the bench to key a 9-0 run, started by a desperation triple from the volleyball line as the shot clock wound down.

A dump-off pass to Joe Ofori for a basket and a couple of Tre Sanigar triples off the bench helped Bay take a 41-32 lead into the halftime locker room.

The Norse started the second half on another run, this time, a 18-6 spurt, that gave Bay their biggest lead of the game at 59-38.The Pioneers kept battling, although being frustrated by a number of foul calls against them. They closed to within ten at 84-74 with three minutes left, but could get no closer.

Part of the reason was Ryan Sweeney made ten of his 13 free throws down the stretch to finish with a game-high 23 points. Kai'Ree Gadson made 13 points, while Chelley and Tre Sanigar both scored eleven points.

Delta finished its season with an 11-17 overall record. The Pioneers were led by Carter Gensch off the bench with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor.

The Pioneers were just 4-of-20 from three-point range while the Norse made 9-of-25. That 15-point difference can help to explain Bay's 15-point win.

Bay improved to 24-5 on the season, and the Norse have won 77 games in the past three seasons combined. The program has a 163-70 overall record since it began in 2017, and has had a losing season only once: during the COVID-shortened season.

But the Norse still haven't won the “big one” to make that next step, and qualify for the national tournament.

The Norse have lost in the regional championship game five times, including in each of the last two seasons in Flint. They're hoping the third time is the charm this upcoming weekend.

The other semifinal will see Hocking College from Ohio, which beat Bay in a tight game in last year's regional final, take on Oakland Community College from suburban Detroit.

The Bay vs Ancilla game is set for 4:00 Thursday afternoon. It will be broadcast live on FM-106.3 across the Upper Peninsula, and on-line at www.baynorse.com.