This season the Talladega College Tornadoes have seen their share of tough games and Friday’s game wasn’t any different as they held on to beat Oakwood 76-68 to advance to USCAA National championship game on Saturday.

Talladega College head coach William Brown believes the tough schedule the Tornadoes played earlier in the season is paying off now.

“When you play those Division I games, Division II games where guys are more talented than you are, they push you to the limit,” Brown said. “You have to understand how to execute and position yourself to win in tough situations. That’s why you get some of those early losses, and you don’t mind playing Division I games early to prepare you for postseason play.”

After controlling the first half the Tornadoes struggled for stretches in the second half. Oakwood came out aggressively after intermission. The Ambassadors slowed down the Tornadoes’ outside shooting and forced turnovers to get back into the game. Kareem Telesford scored six points to spark a 14-6 run to cut the Tornadoes’ lead down to one point, 56-55.

The Tornadoes responded as they went on 13-4 run to put the game out of reach in the final minutes of the second half. Kerry Weaver got things going for the TC as he hit a hook shot to push the Tornadoes’ lead to three points, 58-55. The Tornadoes pushed the lead up to five points when Phil Woods passed up a three pointer to find Kerry Harvis wide open on the right wing for a three pointer to give TC a 61-56 with 6:56 left in the game. Harvis made the Ambassadors pay for leaving him wide open again as he knocked down another three pointer to give TC a 66-58 lead with 3:52 left in the game. Micah Hagens capped off the run with a three pointer of his own to give the Tornadoes a 69-58 lead with 3:10 left in the game.

“Coach does a great job with those kids at Oakwood,” Brown said. “We are familiar with what they do, they know what we do. We knew it was going to be a game of runs and it came down to who could sustain the most runs. We were able to get the most stops in critical situations and that led us to victory.”

The Tornadoes’ big men combo of Jimmy Sutton and Weaver came up big for the top-seeded team. Sutton scored all six of his points in the second half and pulled down 10 rebounds. Weaver recorded a double-double as he scored 13 points for the Tornadoes and pulled down 12 rebounds

“He (Sutton) is using his size very well,” Brown said. “We are getting the ball into the paint. Jimmy and Kerry Weaver took control of the painted area and that’s what we need from them.”

Brown becomes the second consecutive first-year coach to lead the Tornadoes to the USCAA championship game. He admits that he doesn’t know what to expect, but he knows what it’s going to take for the Tornadoes to repeat as champions.

“Well this the first time for me,” Brown said. “I don’t know much about it, but I know what it’s going to take to win. It’s going to take a maximum team effort and great effort at the defensive end. If we get stops we will win, that’s the bottom line.

“That is what we are going hang our hats on tomorrow night and just play our style of basketball offensively. Pushing it, having fun, playing loose, and working inside out.”

Wood and Harvis led the way for the TC with 19 points apiece while Ramondo Banks scored 13 points.

TC takes on Southern Virginia College tonight at 8 p.m.

NOTES: The Tornadoes had three players named to the USCAA All-American team on Tuesday. Senior Micah Hagens and Kerry Harvis were named First Team Division I All-Americans. Freshman Phil Wood was named Honorable Mention Division I All-American.