Aarykah Navarro/ THE RIDER
As the men and women’s basketball season comes to an end, the programs are looking to step into the postseason with a sense of confidence and high expectations, according to the teams’ players and coaches.
The programs are set to play in the Southland Conference Basketball Championships at the Townsley Law Arena in Lake Charles, Louisiana, from Sunday to March 11.
Players from both programs believe they have pieces to come out at the top of the leaderboard and potentially write university history with an appearance in the NCAA March Madness Tournament.
Men’s Basketball
Kahil Fennell, head coach, said the postseason is still the “furthest” from his mind, emphasizing he prefers to be “hyper-focused” on the present.
“We’re still very focused on our [current opponent] and preparing for that,” Fennell said. “Even before that, it’s just preparing for tomorrow’s practice.”
Julien Gomez, a freshman guard, said he is already thinking about the upcoming SLC Tournament, mentioning success is his first thought.
“Honestly, the first thought that comes to mind is us winning it,” he said.
The men’s program showed improvement throughout the season, starting at the bottom of the standings. They are now sitting among the top in the Southland Conference, according to Gomez.
“When we first started conference play, we were in the bottom of the league,” he said. “We worked our way up, so we’ve definitely improved.”
Fennell said he believes the team can still improve in “about every area.”
“Our consistency in every space needs some strengthening, for sure,” he said. “Defensively, we have to be really sharp … and [do] a better job guarding our man-to-man ball coverage. Ultimately, we have to finish possessions at a higher rate.”
Gomez added he acknowledges the tournament will require more effort from the team compared to regular conference matches.
“Obviously, everything is going to be more amped up,” he said. “This is win or go home, you know. … So, everyone’s gonna be going hard. We’re expecting that, and we’re excited to compete.”
Filip Brankovic, a junior forward, said he believes the team’s chemistry will be crucial in a tournament setting.
“Everybody’s really good friends here,” Brankovic said. “I think that’s the main, important thing when you play in tournaments like this.”
He added he is expecting the team to play in three games across three days and feels the preparation and recovery in between matches will also be critical to its success.
“Who stays in best shape will win,” Brankovic said. “Recovering matters.”
Gomez and Brankovic said the players hope to be the first UTRGV team to play in the NCAA March Madness Tournament and write program history.
Fennell said a deep run in the tournament would be “fantastic” not only for himself, but for the team as a whole.
“Our guys have shown so much grit and resilience and just a commitment to doing this the right way,” he said. “For them to be rewarded at the end of this thing would be beautiful.”
Women’s Basketball
The women’s team is also entering the SLC tournament, with a similar sense of confidence after spending most of the season among the top of the leaderboard.
Chazlyn Dettor, a freshman forward, said the idea of winning the tournament is on her mind.
“We want to go into this tournament with the mindset that we can beat any team we see,” Dettor said.
Jalayah Ingram, a junior guard, said she wants to step onto the court making one statement.
“We’re here,” she said. “Nobody expected us to be here.”
Ingram said she believes staying composed will be crucial for the team while in the high-pressure environment created by the tournament.
“Staying poised is important because the teams are going to pressure us constantly because we know we’re kind of turnover prone,” she said.
According to Dettor, controlling the Vaqueros’ turnovers will be the “biggest thing.”
“If we can control our turnovers and play great defense, then, I think we’ll have a great chance at winning,” she said.
Lane Lord, head coach, said reaching the NCAA Tournament is the team’s main priority going into the SLC Tournament.
“We haven’t done it yet … and, hopefully, we can make that dream a reality,” Lord said.
He added he believes the possibility of both programs making it to the NCAA would be a significant moment for the university.
“I think our men have a really good chance this year, and I think we have a really good chance this year,” Lord said. “It would be really special if both teams made the NCAA Tournament and really get both UTRGV and the Valley on the map.”
