Jordan Booker and Matt Finke used to terrorize opposing defenses while playing in the Naugatuck Valley League.
Fast forward four years, and Booker and Finke ended their college careers with league postseason honors and big games.
Booker, a former Crosby standout and Dean College guard, was named New England Collegiate Conference Player of the Year and earned first team All-NECC honors after a tremendous senior season. In NECC games, Booker averaged 28 points, 6.6 assists and 2.9 steals. He ranked first in points and assists per game, and second in steals. Booker was named NECC Player of the Week on three different occasions. His season averages of 25.6 points, 6.9 assists and 2.64 steals all ranked in the Top 10 nationally in Division III.
Finke, a former Wolcott standout and Mitchell College guard, was chosen for the All-NECC second team after a solid senior season. He started all 27 games and played 31.5 minutes per contest. Finke averaged 14.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game and shot 43 percent from the floor. Mitchell was just 4-11 in non-conference games, but went 8-4 in NECC contests, which gave it the No. 2 seed in the league tournament.
Dean was the No. 4 seed in the NECC after a 7-5 record in league games. The Bulldogs hosted No. 5 Elms College in a first round game and won, 89-77. Booker played 38 minutes and tallied 30 points, 12 assists and six rebounds. The win put Dean up against top-seeded New England College in the semifinal round. Booker did what he could against the Pilgrims, totaling 40 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes in the 92-79 defeat. Booker earned postgame praise from New England College fans after his great effort, something that doesn’t happen too often. Booker was named to the all-tournament team for his efforts.
Mitchell earned a bye through the first round of the NECC first round and played No. 3 Eastern Nazarene College in the semifinal round. The Mariners held on for a 73-69 win, and Finke played 31 minutes. He had 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three-point range. Finke added three rebounds and two assists in the victory. Mitchell earned a spot in the final against top-seeded New England College. The Pilgrims and Mariners battled in a great game that went down to the wire, but the top seed emerged with the 92-90 win. Finke was terrific in the final and played 35 minutes. He had 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range. Finke’s 3-pointer with 15:52 to play in the second half gave Mitchell a 58-46 lead. The Mariners held a 76-60 lead with 10:04 to go after a Leonard Williams layup, but the Pilgrims outscored them, 32-14, the rest of the way.
Two college careers ended in the NECC Tournament, but Booker and Finke each made sure they went out with a bang.
Photo credits: Dean College athletics and Mitchell College athletics.
