HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After a memorable Region 20/East District Tournament championship run, Allegany College of Maryland heads to the NJCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, making its 14th appearance in school history.
“It’s hectic, as much as you’re excited about getting the win and advancing to nationals, you immediately start to get back to work,” ACM head coach Tommie Reams said of the 48 hours following the district title. “You start preparing for the team, and I also serve as athletic director so I’m making travel arrangements, getting practice organized and done in a manner to get out when you need to.”
After winning the Region 20/East District tournament for the first time since 2019, the Trojans (26-7) will play No. 9 seed Cowley at Sunday at 1:15 p.m. in the opening round.
The Tigers (27-5) are based in Arkansas City, Kansas, and lost in the Region six semifinal to Hutchinson, 89-83.
Cowley was ranked No. 11 in the final regular season Division I rankings and have been ranked every week since week four, as high as No. 8.
“They have quick, scrappy guards like we have,” Reams said. “The matchup looks good for us, but they’re out in Kansas playing good competition. What we’ve seen on film doesn’t stun us, but we’ll have our work cut out for us.”
The winner advances to play No. 8 seed Northwest Florida State (28-5) on Monday at 6 p.m.
Jeff Nwankwo leads Cowley averaging 18.6 points per game, shooting 50% from the field and 37% from 3-point range.
The Jayhawk Conference’s Most Valuable Player has scored at least 17 points in each of his last 10 games and he has scored at least 20 points in five of the last 10 games and 30 points in three of the last 10.
“Jeff reminds you a lot of Tyson (Oghene),” Reams said. “Very aggressive, slashing, wing/forward with a lot of physicality. Tyson’s gonna shoot more 3s than Jeff, but he’s got that big, strong, physical frame. He does a good job attacking the rim and rebounding.”
Arzhonte Dallas averages 15.2 points, shooting 43% from the field and 37% from deep.
In his last 10 games, he’s scored double figures in eight.
“Extremely quick left handed guard, reminds me a lot of Cam (Brown) and Jeremiah (Mobley),” Reams said. “Super quick off the dribble, attacks downhill. He can catch and shoot the 3.”
Corey Thomas averages 11.9 points on 60% shooting from the field and 39% from beyond the arc and he has scored double figures in seven of his last eight games.
ACM enters with five players averaging in double figures, led by Oghene.
He averages 20.8 points which is 21st in NJCAA Division I. He also ranks among the country’s leaders in several other scoring figures.
His 664 points are ninth-most and his 103 3-pointers are tied for sixth-most with Ahamad Bynum of Trinity Valley.
He scored 23 points in each of the first two district tournament games.
Lamont Jones averages 13.8 points and has scored in double figures in each of his last 10 games. He is one of 88 players nationally to play in all 33 games.
Mobley averages 13.3 points and improved his scoring across the three district tournament games. He scored 16 against Baltimore City, 21 against Monroe and 24 in the championship win over Harford.
Cam Brown does a little bit of everything. He averages 12.5 points and is one of 24 players nationally to start 33 games.
He’s second in the country with 109 steals, third with 228 assists and eighth in minutes played with 1,109.
“He is who we thought he was when we started recruiting him,” Reams said of Brown after the district final on Saturday. “We thought the world of Cam when he decided to join our program, and he’s done nothing but get better.”
Ron Brown averages 10.2 points, but has only surpassed double figures twice in the last 10 games.
However, his impact goes far beyond the stat sheet.
“Ron is definitely an X factor,” Reams said. “He hasn’t been scoring well the last little bit, but it doesn’t matter. His ability to play defense and be quick on defense and offensively understand what has to happen. Instead of forcing up shots, he’s getting other guys involved.”
ACM’s connection to the national tournament doesn’t stop with this year’s team.
Moberly Area’s Tekao Carpenter played last season for the Trojans and recently committed to Division I Austin Peay over offers from South Carolina State and Louisiana Monroe.
The No. 14 seed Greyhounds face 19th-seeded Conners State on Monday at 11 a.m.
This season, Carpenter leads Moberly in scoring with 13.8 points per game.
Last season at Allegany, Carpenter finished seventh nationally with 96 3-pointers.
He was an All-Region 20 and first-team All-Maryland JUCO conference selection.
“Couldn’t be happier for Tekao, enjoyed coaching him,” Reams said. “Wish he was here, but his path didn’t take him that way. Austin Peay is getting a good one. Tekao’s size and shooting makes him a very versatile guard.”
Carpenter will join another former Trojan at Austin Peay in Jalen Ware who spent the 2019-20 season at ACM.
Allegany last appeared in Hutchinson in 2019, losing in the first round to Eastern Florida State, 61-51.
“We didn’t have the steady bench play we had this year,” Reams said. “We can go to Jeremiah, Lamont started on the bench and breaks into the lineup. Ron, Aaron (Lewis), Christian (Champagne), Fidel (Mpanzo) coming off the bench, we didn’t have the size and versatility on the 2019 team we have now.”
The Trojans last win in the national tournament came in 2002, defeating Coastal Georgia, 79-61.
“The 2019 team was 20-12 coming in, but really found a way to gel at the end of the season to make special (things) happen,” Reams said. “This year, same thing. We faced adversity and found a way to overcome in. It’s definitely a common thread of championship DNA.”