Herkimer, N.Y. — Derrick Anderson scored 24 points and Kevaughn Price 21 on Thursday as the seventh-ranked Butler County Community College men’s basketball team beat No. 6 Fulton-Montgomery 83-76 in a consolation game of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III national championship tournament.

The Pioneers rebounded from an 84-81 first-round loss Wednesday to Rochester (Minn.) Community and Technical College to post their first victory in a national championship tournament game.

The appearance in the national championship tournament was the first in the 55-year history of BC3’s program. The Pioneers, 2-16 a year ago, end their 2022-2023 season at 21-5.

“Before we even started the tournament, I told them they had already won,” said Joe Lewandowski, BC3’s first-year coach.

The program had not had a winning record since at least the 2009-2010 season. The Pioneers in 2022-2023 have been ranked among 97 Division III programs for the first time in at least 10 years.

“They already won because they did everything the right way and they competed the right way,” Lewandowski said. “After the game I told them what I had told them so many times already. I said, ‘I am super-proud of you. The school is proud of you. The community is proud of you. You’ve done something that hasn’t been done before.

“And you have set a standard for all the other BC3 teams to follow.’”

Anderson on Thursday led the Pioneers in scoring for the fourth time in the past five games and for the 12th time this season. He also led BC3 with 11 assists.

“This season has brought BC3 basketball to the next level,” said Anderson, who as of Thursday was third in Division III with a 22.4 points-per-game average.

“We had a good run,” said Price, who was eighth in Division III with a 21.5 points-per-game average. “I’m just grateful for all the opportunities coach Joe and this team have made for me.”

“Coach Joe,” said Jason Baker, Division III’s leading shot blocker with 130, “already set the standard. First year he came in he went to the tournament. So that is the standard.”

Baker, Todd Simons, Price and Anthony Watson are among players who could return to BC3’s squad for the 2023-2024 season, Lewandowski said.

Simons led BC3 on Thursday with 16 rebounds and scored 14 points, including two free throws with seven seconds left, and Baker had 10 points and 10 blocked shots.

The Pioneers’ 26 assists against Fulton-Montgomery marked the 10th time in the past 16 games that the squad had 20 or more.

BC3 in February won its seventh Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference championship since 1980 and its first NJCAA Division III Region 20 title since 2002.

Lewandowski was named the WPCC coach of the year, and Baker, Anderson and Price were selected to the WPCC all-conference team.

Anderson was selected as the Region 20 tournament’s most valuable player, and Price and Simons were named to the all-Region 20 tournament team.

Baker was the Region 20 player of the month for November, Anderson for December and Price for January.

Anderson was also the Division III player of the week twice in February.

“This season,” Anderson said, “has been a blessing.”

“We fell a little short, but it was a great season,” Baker said. “I just loved the team. I loved the coaches. I loved everything about this season. I just wish we could run it back one more time.”

The Pioneers against Rochester Community and Technical College on Wednesday overcame a 21-point deficit to tie the score 81-81 with 20 seconds remaining in the game. Rochester (21-7) pulled away with a jump shot and free throw with two seconds left by Andre Crockett.

Rochester on Thursday evening was to face Dallas-North Lake, Irving, Texas, which is 25-6, ranked No. 2 and is the defending Division III national champion.

Members of BC3’s squad are Anderson, guard, a Boardman, Ohio, High graduate; Baker, forward, Legacy Early College, Greenville, S.C.; Spencer Langas, guard-forward, Slippery Rock; Troy Loughry, guard-forward, Grove City; Price, guard-forward, Bishop Canevin; Austin Rodgers, forward, Butler; Cole Rodgers, forward, Knoch; Simons, guard-forward, Austintown Fitch, Ohio; and Watson, guard, Bethel Park. Christian Harbaugh is the assistant coach.

Fulton-Montgomery, Johnstown, N.Y., ends 20-8.

Bill Foley is coordinator of news and media content at Butler County Community College.