MADISON, S.D. -- Senior guard Mike Cardenas (Los Angeles, Calif.) saved his best three-game stretch of the season for the North Star Athletic Association Tournament. The sharp-shooter led Bellevue to their first NSAA Tournament Title and for his efforts Cardenas has been named the NSAA's Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office.
Cardenas scored in double figures in all three games the Bruins played in the tournament and averaged a team-high 18.0 points to go along with 6.0 rebounds per game. He shot a blistering 50.0 percent (13-of-26) from beyond the arc, 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from the field overall, and sank all 11 free throws he attempted.
He dropped in 15 points and pulled down five rebounds in a comfortable quarterfinal victory Presentation before narrowly missing a double-double in a thrilling overtime win against Dakota State in the semi-finals, finishing with 12 points and nine boards.
Cardenas turned in his best performance in Monday's Championship Game where he scored a game-high 27 points on an incredible 7-of-11 shooting effort from beyond the arc. He shot 9-of-15 overall from the field – and 2-of-2 from the line – while also grabbing four rebounds, dishing out a pair of assists, and swiping a steal.
On the season, Cardenas is averaging 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and shooting 37.4 percent from beyond the arc. His 74 made threes rank second on the team while his 91.2 percent shooting from the charity stripe also ranks second.
Bellevue is currently 22-10 overall (11-5 NSAA) and are 16-3 in their last 19 games. They won both the NSAA's Regular-Season and Tournament Championships en route to qualifying for their 15th consecutive NAIA Division II National Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo. on the campus of College of the Ozarks.
