KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A pair of former Montana high school basketball players won a national championship Saturday when College of Idaho held off Indiana Tech 73-71 to capture the NAIA men's title at Municipal Auditorium.
Great Falls High graduate Drew Wyman and Scobey alum Cadan Handran helped C of I finish the season with a 36-1 record and win its first championship since 1996. Wyman scored the Yotes' last three points to help his team stave off Indiana Tech at the end.
Wyman scored a layup 59 seconds left to put C of I ahead 72-68. He later cleared a defensive rebound, was fouled, and made 1 of 2 free throws with 10 seconds left to make the score 73-71. Indiana Tech's Grant Smith then missed a jump shot with one second left, and the Yotes had clinched the title.
Wyman finished with six points and four rebounds while Handran added four points, four rebounds and four assists. The sophomore duo was part of the Yotes' starting lineup. C of I led by as many as 23 points early in the second half but was forced to hold on as Indian Tech rallied down the stretch.
The 6-foot-5 Wyman came into Saturday averaging 12.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game this season. He started all 37 games at Great Falls, Wyman was selected the 2021 Montana Gatorade player of the year and was a two-time all-state selection.
The 6-6 Handran came in averaging 3.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He started 36 of 37 games. At Scobey, Handran helped the Spartans win the Class C state title in 2021 and a share of the championship in 2020.
