MBB: Southern Athletic Association

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity AC Thomas Orr, a late add to the staff after former AC Sterling Holmes left coaching for a better opportunity just before the season started, has been named HC at Lyon.  Coach Rock will have to hire another assistant in less than a year. 

[scottiedoug]

I guess it was inevitable. I hate it.

https://mcscots.com/news/2026/5/12/general-saa-announces-exclusive-media-rights-partnership-with-flosports.aspx

[Ron Boerger]

Courtesy of nescac1 in the Transfers/Seniors with Remaining Eligibility thread, SAA players who will not be playing next season (portal moves):

Fletcher Bigham, Sewanee (6'8" F, 19.4 PPG, 11.0 RPG) -> Coastal Carolina
Aeden Lewis, Southwestern (6'3" G, 13.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 41.8% FT!) -> South Alabama

In the portal, no new home yet:

Nikolas Avaliani, Sewanee (6'4" G, 18.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG)
Jackson Huxtable, Rhodes (6'6" F, 16.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG)
Kalib Thomas, Centre (6'1" G, 14.5 PPG, 2.7 APG, 3.6 RPG)

The thread is updated frequently so head on over to stay apprised.  Only Avaliani is on nescac1's "many will end up on D2/D1 scholarship" list.

[Ron Boerger]

If you ever wanted to know how Marwan Elrakabawy went from being a lawyer to a D3 basketball coach, this story from his alma mater (U Texas School of Law) is highly educational.  Fun fact: his first D3 position was as an AC at Gallaudet.

[Ron Boerger]

Very exciting news that the NABC will be sponsoring two eight-team tournaments around New Year's, one in Las Vegas before the end of the year, the second in San Antonio at Trinity.  Much more at d3hoops.com, who broke the news today.

Unfortunately, this also means the D3Hoops.com Classic, which was held at this time of year in LV for over a decade, is no longer a thing.  It also means that, at least for the time being, there is no equivalent women's invitational.  Edit: D3Hoops.com will remain as a sponsor of the NABC - Las Vegas event!

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity has posted their returning roster for the upcoming season and there are a few changes.

First, all rising seniors return - led by Dylan Walker:  Walker, Dean Balo, Gabe Parr, Carter Ruck, Ben Estes.
Of last year's eight sophomores, three will not return:  Trent Medearis, Julian Dupertuis, and Javon Tolliver.  Returnees are Luke Bledsoe, Jackson Lawson, Max Sprott, Jake Miller, and most significantly, Will Bronson.
The rising sophomore class is complete:  Harlin, Wagner, DeMent, and Tisdall.

The three non-returnees combined for less than 5 points and 5 boards per game with most of the damage coming from Medearis and Tolliver.  A quick internet search did not reveal a transfer destination for any of the three. 

In other offseason news, the Tigers have hired Kalvin "Skoot" Lewis to replace the departed Thomas Orr as assistant coach.  Lewis was an assistant at Schreiner and Southern Arkansas before his most recent gig as HC at Fort Bend Austin HS in the Houston area. 

[Ron Boerger]

Coach Rock sent out an update for the upcoming season:

• Nine new faces (a large class for them; no transfers) including Cam Hill's son, Cole, who was a student assistant for the women's team last season.
• Outside of SAA the only away trips on the schedule are to HSU's November Classic (Chapman, winner/loser of HSU/Cal Lu)  and the Jack Sikma Classic at IWU (Benedictine, w/l of Yeshiva/IWU). 
• Trinity(TX) MBB touring Japan next summer with three games. 
• Will kick off the season with "Tiger Tipoff" on October 24th (player intros, skills/3pt/dunk contests, intrasquad game)

Tallest newcomer is Bo Echols from Memphis (TN) University school, a 6'9" PF who averaged 14 and 10 and was named to the Memphis Commercial Appeal All-Region and All-Metro teams.  The latest additions hail from TN, NJ, NH, Plano, Austin and San Antonio.

[Ron Boerger]

This should probably go in the SCAC thread since it won't be done until the school joins that conference, but Southwestern announced an anonymous gift of $1.25M to refresh the gym and lobby of the Corbin J. Robertson Center, home of the Pirate basketball and volleyball programs.  Work will begin after the conclusion of basketball and is expected to be completed before volleyball kicks off in 2027.

The renovations focus on enhancing the fan experience and elevating the Pirates' home court advantage. The existing bleachers will be removed and replaced with retractable chairback seats, providing an added level of comfort to fans. An all-new maple hardwood flooring surface will be installed to support basketball and volleyball competition. Throughout the gym, aesthetic upgrades will be completed to further showcase Southwestern's unique branding and Pirate color scheme. Digital signage will also be installed inside the Robertson Center lobby to help usher in a forthcoming digital, interactive Southwestern Pirates Hall of Fame.

[scottiedoug]

In case you have not been paying attention to the football board, here is what Maryville says about its leaving the SAA,

https://mcscots.com/news/2026/10/20/general-maryville-college-to-depart-saa-rejoin-ccs-in-2027.aspx

 

[Ron Boerger]

The D3hoops.com preseason Top 25 is out and Trinity is the only team representing the SAA, coming in at #12.  They return almost everyone from last year's 22-7 team (Zach Fenn and Joshua Chesney combined for 13.2ppg and 5.5rpg); getting Dylan Walker back for an entire season after he started the first six games with nearly 18 and 4 by himself should more than make up for that loss. Perennial foil St. Thomas (TX) of the SCAC comes in at #17. Last year's SAA champs, Rhodes are among the teams receiving votes (they would be "35th"). 

Last year's NCAA champions, Mary Washington, return virtually everyone and are a decided #1.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Nobody's making up for Zach Fenn's defense.  Can't remember anybody playing better at the top of a 1-3-1 than that guy.

[Ron Boerger]

The SAA coaches have almost unanimously selected Trinity as the favorite to claim the SAA title this season.

• Trinity - 71 (7)
• Centre - 64 (1)
• Rhodes - 58 (1)
• Maryville - 47
• Millsaps - 45
• Berry - 33
• Sewanee - 29
• Southwestern - 28
• Oglethorpe - 21

Ironically, the conference selected Maryville as the host for this year's championships.