One of the main goals for student-athletes at a community college is to be able to continue their collegiate career at the four-year level. For members of the Southwest Mississippi Community College men's basketball team, that goal has become a reality for numerous players over the years, never more so than in the past two.
This year alone, 11 of the 2019-20 Bears squad have signed scholarships to continue playing at the next level and, combined with last season's signees, 12 will be playing at the NCAA Division I level when the 2020-21 campaign begins.
"I am extremely proud of everything our guys have accomplished on and off the floor in my first two seasons," said head coach Bryan Bender. "I love the recruiting process and changing lives. You make a commitment to a parent when they allow you to work with their most prized possession, their son, and their son trusts you with their most prized possession, their future, your goal and job is to see the process through to the next level. Not only in basketball, but life and help them grow and mature throughout the journey."
"Our staff specializes in getting guys to the next level," Bender continued, "and maximizing their potential as men. We have a culture centered around being grateful and making themselves better every day utilizing the core values within it-(G)rit, (R)espect, (A)ttitude, (T)oughness, (E)ffort, (F)uture, (U)nity, (L)ove, (L)ead, (L)earn." "Seeing this through is my job here at Southwest and I love being able to see these young men achieve their dreams."
In the two years Bender has been at the helm of the Bears, they have had 20 players sign to four-year scholarships. In addition, they have had a 100% graduation rate (with combined GPA's of 3.43 and 3.49) and a 100% placement rate to 4-year colleges. They were also the NJCAA and MACJC Academic Team of the Year for 2018-19.
Other accomplishments over the past two seasons include doubling the team win total from year one to year two in division play, having 12 players sign with NCAA Division I programs (including NJCAA-leading seven freshmen) and having five players mentioned in the JUCOrecruiting.com's Top 100 player List.
In addition, Bender is the first Bears head coach since Kermit Davis (1984-86) to have had a winning record in his first two seasons.
When the 2020-21 season commences, the Bears will be one of or the top NJCAA programs in the country with 25 players playing at the four-year level.
Those players include;
NCAA Division I:
- Jalon Andrews, Cal State Fullerton
- Avery Diggs, UCF
- Devin Evans, Nebraska-Omaha
- David Greer, North Carolina A&T
- Jeremy Harrell, McNeese State
- Denijay Harris, Southern Mississippi
- John Knight III, Southern Utah
- Goodnews Kpegeol, Valparaiso
- Jay Malone, Southern Mississippi
- Spencer Rodgers, Kennesaw State
- Lincoln Smith, Lamar University
- Atticus Taylor, NC State
NCAA Division II:
- TJ Ben, Mississippi College
- Arturro Bingham, Northwestern Oklahoma State
- Antonio Cowart, Mississippi College
- Damian Dear, Henderson State
- Alex Dobrijevic, Salem University
- Robert Kendrick, Fort Valley State
- Ricardo Lynch, Rogers State
- Roderick Smith, Auburn-Montgomery
NAIA:
- Ryan Black, Holy Cross College
- Bob Boyd, Lewis-Clark State College
- Deonta Lawler, Central Methodist University
- Drelon Pittman, William Carey University
- Adreon Wadlington, Mount Marty College
The Bears have already reloaded their roster for next season and are gearing up to start summer school in July.
