We have a new NAIA men’s basketball champion: Rocky Mountain College. The Battlin’ Bears put the finishing touches on its Cinderella season by defeating Missouri’s Columbia College 77-61 in the NAIA national title game on Tuesday night. The Bears had never won a tournament game in school history before this season. Then at this year’s tournament they rattled off five straight straight victories, including three come-from-behind efforts.
It is the first NAIA men’s basketball title for any team from the Frontier Conference. For Rocky fans, it’s the perfect way to complete a genuine Cinderella story. Judging by the <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/03/25/sports/local/18-rmc.txt" title="many stories in the Billings Gazette“>many stories in the Billings Gazette about Rocky’s run, it’s clear the hometown crowd understands the significance of the moment. And even though I live on the other side of the state, I understand the moment’s majesty too. Congratulations, Rocky.