Southwest Tennessee Community College Basketball Teams to Compete in Region Tournament in Gallatin, Tennessee

For more information contact: Keith Gentry, (901) 333-4114
e-mail mgentry@southwest.tn.edu, Farris Bldg., Room 1002, 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN 38134

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) - Southwest Tennessee Community College’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will compete for conference championships and national tournament berths in the 2026 TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament March 6-10 at Volunteer State Community College’s Pickel Gymnasium in Gallatin, Tennessee.

The Southwest women, under the direction of Head Coach Andrea Martre, enter the tournament with a 11-12 overall record. As the 9th seed, the Lady Saluqis will play 8th seed Pellissippi State in a first-round game at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 6. The winner will take on top seed Walters State in the quarterfinal game at noon on Sunday, March 8.

Projected starters for the Lady Saluqis are sophomore guards Jamiyah Jones (16.4 points and  2.6 steals per game) and Alexandria Clemmons (1.7 points and 1.2 assists per game), freshman guard Justice Donald (3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game) and freshmen forwards Shani Clark (13.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game) and Bailey Boone (6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game). Top players off the bench are sophomore guards SaNaii May (3.4 points and 1.9 assists per game) and Journey Williams (3.0 points per game), freshman forward Khaleis London (6.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game) and freshman guard Saaphyri Thompson (0.8 points per game). 

The Southwest men, under the direction of Head Coach Jarrett Stephens, enter the tournament with a 8-19 overall record. As the 11th seed, the Saluqis will play 6th seed Cleveland State in a first round game at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 6. The winner will take on 3rd seed Roane State in a quarterfinal game at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 7.

Projected starters for the Saluqis include sophomore forward Abdoul Sacko (8.0 points. 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game) and sophomore guards Kody Hickerson (9.7 points and 2.7 assists per game), Eric Jones (9.3 points per game) and Jeremiah Hayes (11.3 points and 3.3 assists per game). Other players who see significant playing time are sophomore forwards Blake Garner (6.3 points per game) and Tyson Jones (6.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game), freshmen guards Chris King (8.3 points and 2.5 assists per game), Dominic Taylor (5.4 points per game), Kobe Bryant (3.8 points per game), and Samarion Irving (2.5 points per game) and freshman forward Johnathan Kusmiy (4.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game).

Tournament champions advance to the NJCAA Division 1 National Tournament. The men’s tournament will be held on March 21-28 in Hutchinson, Kansas and the women’s tournament on March 24-31 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.