Former MoKan, Summit Christian standout paces NAIA Tournament Sweet 16 win in KC

Former Summit Christian and MoKan standout Griffin Kliewer poured in 26 points to lead all scorers as Indiana Wesleyan beat Arizona Christian 84-73 in a Friday afternoon Sweet 16 game at the 86th NAIA men’s basketball tournament.

That’s a season high for Kliewer, a 6-foot-3 junior guard from Lee’s Summit.

The two-time All-Crossroads League first-teamer scored 18 points after halftime in the Duer Quadrant showdown at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium to help send Indiana Wesleyan’s second-seeded Wildcats on to Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Trent Hudgens led the third-seeded Firestorm of Arizona Christian (25-8) with 22 points.

In the penultimate game of Friday’s four-contest lineup — the Round of 16 started with four games Thursday — defending champion College of Idaho defeated Madonna (Michigan) 87-65. The Yotes from Caldwell, Idaho improved to 31-3; Madonna’s season ended at 27-7.

Earlier, Oklahoma’s Langston (33-1 and a No. 1 seed) beat LSU Shreveport (28-5) 78-61. Anthony Roy led five Langston players in double-figures with 17 points, setting up what should be an exciting Indiana Wesleyan-Langston matchup in Saturday’s Round of 8.

Morningside (Iowa) defeated Cumberlands (Kentucky) in the late game, 80-74, to finalize the quarterfinal matchups.

Here’s Saturday’s quarterfinal schedule:

• Freed-Hardeman vs. Central Baptist, 1 p.m.
• Grace vs. Evangel, 3 p.m.
• Langston vs. Indiana Wesleyan, 5 p.m.
• College of Idaho vs. Morningside, 7 p.m.

Six of this year’s final 16 teams have won a national title previously. Indiana Wesleyan has three championships on its resume, while Northwestern and College of Idaho have two apiece.

This story was originally published March 22, 2024 at 7:45 PM.