Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball coach Darren Stratton and his staff were recognized Sunday morning at the National Association of Basketball Coaches Champions Breakfast at the NCAA Division I Final Four.
The breakfast ceremony recognized Stratton’s achievement of winning a third consecutive NJCAA Region 21 Championship as he was presented a “Champion of the Game” plaque by CBS Sports broadcaster Zach Gelb and former NCAA Division I head coach Phil Martelli Sr.
Stratton and the Knights basketball team became only the second team in the history of Region 21 to win three straight championship and the first to achieve the feat in 37 year when Mattatuck accomplished the threepeat from 1986-88.
The Region 21 championship game victory on March 2 was the 350th win of his career. Over the last three season Stratton has accumulated a 94-8 record and currently stands at 351-210 overall in his 23 seasons leading the NECC program. Stratton will kick off season number 24 on November 1st at the Brookdale (N.J.) Basketball Classic.