COEUR d'ALENE - The last time Salt Lake Community College won an NJCAA championship in men's basketball in 2009, the Bruins won the Region 18 tournament in Coeur d'Alene, as well as a play-in game in Arizona.

Second-year head coach Todd Phillips hopes that history can repeat itself again after Salt Lake beat the No. 3 seed Snow Badgers 86-75 in the championship game of the Region 18 tournament on Saturday night at North Idaho College.

Salt Lake (28-3) will travel to Central Arizona College of Coolidge next Saturday in the District 1 championship game, with the winner advancing to the NJCAA tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., March 18-23.

"We'll try to follow the same map as we did then - win here, in Arizona and in Hutchinson," said Phillips, who was an assistant coach in '09 under then-coach Norm Parrish. "We're going to try and keep a little bit of tradition there the best we can - eat at the same restaurants, wear the same shoes and travel the same way."

Skyler Halford scored 27 points for Salt Lake and was named tournament MVP. Brock Smith and Nick Gruninger scored 17 points apiece for Snow (22-10).

"Snow always battles and it was going to be a drag-out fight," Phillips said. "And it was another one tonight. I thought we wore them down toward the end of the game and got some easy baskets, but they've got some great players that can shoot the ball. That's the disadvantage of having to play three games and we only had to play two - and that worked in our advantage."

Phillips said if Salt Lake loses next Saturday, the Bruins will receive an at-large bid to the NJCAA tourney.

Snow upset No. 2 seed North Idaho College to advance to the title game on Friday after beating Colorado Northwestern on Thursday.

"That was a big-time battle with them and North Idaho (on Friday)," Phillips said. "That was a great junior college basketball game."

NIC is also waiting for a possible at-large berth to nationals.

SNOW COLLEGE

Nick Gruninger 5-11 4-4 17, Tim Hughes 0-0 0-0 0, Dallen Bird 0-0 0-0 0, Casey Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Cheik Tidiane Sane 4-9 5-9 13, Haudrick Hilaire 1-1 1-2 3, Rhett Bird 1-1 0-0 2, Roberts Baltruns 2-3 1-3 6, London Simonsen 1-7 0-0 3, Connor Van Brocklin 6-13 0-0 14, Brock Smith 7-13 3-3 17, Brad Mears 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 27-60 14-23 75.

SALT LAKE

Casey Oliverson 1-1 2-2 4, Gary Payton Jr. 7-13 0-0 15, Tyrell Corbin 5-7 2-2 13, Morgan Hesleph 0-0 0-0 0, Yi Hisang Chou 1-4 0-0 2, Seth Weinheimer 1-3 0-0 2, Sai Tummala 5-11 5-6 17, Skyler Halford 6-12 14-14 27, JuWan Buchanan 2-7 1-2 6, Nick Jenson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-58 24-26 86.

Halftime - SLCC 41-39. 3-point goals - Snow 7-23 (Gruninger 3-4, Baltruns 1-2, Simonsen 1-6, Van Brocklin 2-6, Smith 0-5), SLCC 6-17 (Payton 1-5, Hesleph 1-1, Tummala 2-4, Halford 1-4, Buchanan 1-3). Rebounds - Snow 29 (Sane 10), SLCC 40 (Tummala 7). Assists - Snow 15 (Gruninger, Sane 4), SLCC 16 (Corbin, Halford 4). Team fouls - Snow 18, SLCC 16. Fouled out - none.

ALL-REGION 18 TOURNAMENT TEAM

Skyler Halford, Salt Lake (Most Valuable Player); Gary Payton Jr., Salt Lake; Juwan Newman, Southern Idaho; Mikey Hope, North Idaho; Connor Van Brocklin, Snow; Cheik Tidiane Sane, Snow.