Hawks to National Tourney for First Time
For the first time in its history, the College of Southern Maryland men’s basketball team won the Region XX Division II Men’s Basketball Championship this year. That accomplishment qualified the Hawks to compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Tournament, which was held in Danville, Illinois, from March 21 through 25.
CSM’s first game in the tournament was against No. 1-seeded Southwestern Community College, the Spartans from Creston, Iowa. The Spartans came out on top, winning 94-69. Southwestern went on to win the tournament, giving the Spartans their first national championship in their history.
In the Hawks’ second game in the tournament, they were paired with the Waubonsee Community College Chiefs from Sugar Grove, Illinois. The Hawks’ 92-81 loss eliminated CSM from the tournament.
The Hawks finished the season with a 14-18 record. This was Coach Alan Hoyt’s 10th season as head coach. His current coaching record in this position is 111 wins-173 losses. Hoyt earned his 100th win as head coach this season with the 113-78 win over Community College of Beaver County on Dec. 17.
“This team had the right guys at the right time,” Coach Hoyt said before the team left for the national tournament. “I knew we had a talented team from the beginning.”
The Hawks started the year with a tough schedule, playing five nationally ranked teams out of its first six games. But the team learned from that experience, Mr. Hoyt said. “We were able to see what it took to be the best. … This team became close and learned how to use those early and late-season losses as motivation to continue to improve.”
“CSM is thrilled to have won the Region XX Championship for the first time in school history and enter the NJCAA Men’s National Basketball Tournament as one of the top 16 programs in the country,” said Michelle Ruble, CSM director of student life and athletics. “We are proud of Coach Alan Hoyt and our team.”
At the Region XX Division II Championship, the No. 6-seeded Hawks won 94-63 over the No. 3-seeded Community College of Baltimore County Dundalk in the first round, followed by two close games, 75-71 over Frederick Community College in the second round and, for the tournament championship, 76-74 over Cecil College.
Two Hawks were particularly honored for their play in the regionals — Sean Scott of Waldorf, forward, was named to the All-Tournament Team, and David Francis of Brooklyn, New York, forward, was named the tournament MVP.
The CSM team also includes Ryan Stearns of Leonardtown, Trevon Porter of Lexington Park, Anthony Williams of Waldorf, Antonio Tavares of Chesapeake Beach, Levon Randall of Waldorf, Dominic Espeleta of Waldorf, Shawn Ortiz-Robinson of Waldorf, and Jordan Battle of Waldorf.
Assistant coaches are Burton Moody and Daniel Richards.
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