Southwest Tennessee Community College Men’s Basketball Team to Take on Coffeyville in NJCAA National Tournament

For more information, contact: Diana Fedinec, Director of Public Relations and Media
(901) 333-4247 
dfedinec@southwest.tn.edu

(Memphis, Tenn.) -The bracket for the 2021 NJCAA Division 1 Men’s National Basketball Tournament was announced on Sunday with 23rd-seed Southwest Tennessee Community College (11-4) taking on 10th-seed Coffeyville Community College (22-3) in a first- round game at 4:30 p.m. on April 19 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas. The winner will advance to play 7th-seed Odessa Community College in the second round. All tournament games will be streamed on the NJCAA Network.

The Saluqis, under the direction of Interim Head Coach Amory Sanders and assistant coaches Quincy Harris and Anthony Hall, enter the tournament on a four-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine games. Southwest reached the NJCAA National Tournament by defeating Cleveland State 70-59 in overtime to win the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Championship on Saturday in Gallatin, Tennessee.

“You cross a certain bridge when you go to the NJCAA Tournament,” said Sanders. “It is a right of passage and we are grateful for this opportunity to represent Southwest. We know Coffeyville is rich in tradition in JUCO basketball. However, we did not come this far just to come this far! We’ll use this week to plan and prepare for April 19 and show Hutchinson, Kansas what ‘Memphis Grit and Grind’ is all about!”

Southwest is led by All-TCCAA selections Jamey Sanders, the Most Valuable Player of the Region VI Tournament, and Brandon Mason, the regular season TCCAA West Division Most Valuable Player. Sanders is the Saluqis’ leading scorer with a 15.2 average and Mason is right behind him at 15.1 points per game. Sanders is also the second leading rebounder (5.1 per game) while Mason leads the team in free throw percentage (80 percent). Nikcolauz Merriweather, a second team All-TCCAA pick, averages 7.3 points per game and his 4.9 assists per game leads the team.

Probable Starters

Sophomore forward, Jamey Sanders, Memphis, TN/W.E.B. DuBois: 15.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg
Sophomore guard, Brandon Mason, Memphis, TN/Ridgeway: 15.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Sophomore guard, Nikcolauz Merriweather, Memphis, TN/East:; 7.3 ppg, 4.9 apg
Freshman forward, Juan Cajelli, Montevideo, Uraguay/Pinar 1: 6.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Sophomore forward, Eric Johnson, Memphis, TN/Bolton: 5.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg

Coming off the Bench

Freshman guard, Kendrick Holland, Knoxville, TN/South-Doyle: 9.2 ppg, 4.1 apg
Freshman guard, DeCoreio Smith, Memphis, TN/Marion (AR): 7.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg
Freshman guard, Kaemon Prude, Memphis, TN/M.A.S.E.: 5.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Freshman forward, David M’baye, Memphis, TN/Gateway Legacy: 1.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg
Sophomore guard, Jomar Ezell, Memphis, TN/W.E.B. DuBois: 0.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg
NOTE: ppg – points per game, rpg – rebounds per game, apg – assists per game

Scores

Regular Season

TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament