North Country’s women celebrate their school’s first Region III basketball championship on Sunday following a 74-64 victory over Jefferson at Onondaga Community College. Joining head coach Jerrad Dumont (wearing the net) and assistant Rob Roy are Saints players Ty Taylor, Mary Parker, Hayley Lewis, Jasmine Cruse, Te’Nae Romain, Bailee Gauthier, Alexis Porier, Beckey Middleton, Jasmine Perea, Mariah Roach, Taylor Duffy, Kayla Carder and Payton Gough. (Photo provided)

SARANAC LAKE — The North Country Community College women’s basketball team made history Sunday, capturing the school’s first Region III title with a 74-64 victory over Jefferson in the championship game at Onondaga Community College.

Sunday’s win was the 22nd straight for the Saints, who entered the Region III final four tournament ranked fifth nationally in the NJCAA, Division III poll. NCCC’s toughest test came in Saturday’s semifinal matchup, where it eked out a 65-61 triumph over Fulton-Montgomery to advance to the title tilt against the Cannoneers, who knocked off top-seeded Onondaga in the other semifinal game.

The Saints improved to 27-2 and are now one of eight teams remaining the the country that now move into the Division III national championship tournament, which takes place March 14-16 at the Arthur L. Scott Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.