West Texas A&M Men

No JoJo. No Quay. Brown still pumped.

By LANCE LAHNERT

No Quay Grant.

No Jojo Murray.

Fans and media of West Texas A&M’s men’s basketball may be thinking what might have been if juniors Grant and Quay hadn’t jumped in the portal and exited to Division I schools after the 2020-21 basketball season.

But it’s old news within the ranks of the WT coaches and players that 2021-22 will be a year playing without All-American guards Grant (who is at Wichita State) and Murray (who is at Long Beach State).

Grant and Murray averaged more than 20 points each in leading WT to a NCAA Division II national runner-up finish, its best since the school started playing basketball in 1920.

Seventh-year WT coach Tom Brown, who returns 25.9 percent scoring from last year in seven players, has warm wishes for the pair. Quay started all 93 of the Buffs’ games the past three years, while Murray started 88 of the 93 games.

“That was old news last year for us,” Brown said. “What I want to say is everybody has choices. I really respect those guys, and I’m glad we had them here for the three years. We had a great run with those guys. “Every year is different. Those guys are gone, and we are going to have to have new guys step up. We have some really good pieces coming back, and we brought in some guys who are going to really help this year.” One of the “old” guys is sophomore Zach Toussaint, who started 16 games last year and led the Buffs in 3-pointCoach Tom Brown ers with 61.

West Texas A&M Buffs Roster Name, Ht., Pos., Class, Hometown

Jesse Iweze, 6-5, G, Fr., Roanoke, Texas Trevone Fuller, 5-9, G, Soph., Arlington, Texas JT Warren, 6-2, G, Soph., Waxahachie, Texas Julius Brown, 5-10, G, Jr., Westerville, Ohio Torian Harris, 6-6, G, Fr., Rowlett, Texas Parker Nielsen, 6-4, G, Fr., Prescott, Wisconsin Kavon Booker, 6-6, G, Soph., Schertz, Texas Dalin Williams, 6-9, G, Gr., Stinnett, Texas Zach Toussaint, 5-11, G, Soph., Johnsburg, Illinois Jonas Carlisle, 6-2, G, Fr., San Antonio, Texas Hayden Blankley, 6-6, G, Soph., Sydney, Australia Cameron Bell, 5-10, G, Fr., Edmond, Oklahoma Austin Shelley, 6-2, G, Fr., Melbourne, Australia Addison Wallace, 6-3, G, Soph., Cleburne, Texas Larry Wise, 6-4, G, Soph., Waxahachie, Texas

Coach: Tom Brown Asst. Coaches: Chris Gove, Quincy Henderson 2020-2021 record: 19-3, 10-2

Zach Toussaint of West Texas A&M shoots a jump shot in the Buffs’ 9783 win over Daemen in the Elite Eight March 24 in Evansville, Indiana. (Photo by Trevor Fleeman for WTAMU)

Toussaint praised Quay and Murray, saying you can’t replace them, so why try, and they changed his game for the better.

“Those two made me a lot better player,” Toussaint said. “Naw, you can’t replace those two. We just have to figure out other ways to score and get it done.

“Those are my guys, for sure, JoJo and Quay. I wouldn’t be the player I am today without them pushing me every day in practice.”

With the legit question of no Quay and Murray out of the way, the Buffs definitely will have a new look from the previous two years with seven players returning and 75 percent of the scoring gone from last year’s wonderful season.

Leading the way is Toussaint, a sharp-shooting guard with long range, who made 16 starts for the 19-3 Buffs.

The 5-11 Toussaint leads returners in scoring from last year at 10 points per game. He hit a dramatic, last second 3-pointer for a one point win over Lincoln Memorial in the D-II national semifinals.

“I haven’t really thought about the shot,” Toussaint said. “I’ve been thinking about getting blown out in the championship game (80-54 by Northwest Missouri) all summer.

“Then with all the new guys here, that’s all I’ve been preaching to them is we have to get back there. That’s something I want to experience again. Every day in practice we need to think about it. I now know what it takes to get there, and I’m pushing everybody.”

While Toussaint is quiet by nature, he knows his leadership role must increase.

“For sure more of a leadership for me this year,” Toussaint said.

(Continued from previous page) “Me and Kavon (Booker) are the only starters back, and then we have Hayden (Blankley). Not necessarily taking over the scoring role, but I’ve been here long enough to know how the system is run and what coach wants. I’m just letting the new guys know.

“We have a lot of work to do.”

Brown also sees Toussaint as a strong player and leader for the Buffs in 2021-22.

“I think Zach has taken more of a leadership role,” Brown said. “He’s not a loud guy, but I don’t think you have to be loud to be a leader. Sometimes that’s false energy. When you know what you are doing and you help other guys out, that’s being a leader. And that’s what Zach does is help others out. He’s a competitor and wants to win. Zach always understood offense, and now I think he understands defense better.”

Returning players joining Toussaint with starts from last year are sophomore Booker (eight starts, 5.0 points per game), freshman Parker Neilson (seven, 4.8 ppg) and freshman Blankley (four, 4.6 ppg).

Also returning from last year are freshman Torian Harris, Cameron Bell and J.T. Warren. Bell had the biggest impact of that group, playing in 19 games, averaging 14 minutes of playing time and scoring 2.1 points per game.

Brown added newcomers with various levels of experience and college backgrounds.

Several have college experience, led by junior 5-10 point guard Julius Brown, who started for the Lincoln Memorial team the Buffs edged in the national semifinals.

Sophomore 6-4 guard Larry Wise arrives form North Texas, while 6-3 sophomore guard Addison Wallace played at Texas State.

Graduate 6-9 Dalin Williams is a familiar name, having led West Texas High to a state championship, and arrives from Northwestern State. Sophomore 5-9 guard Trevone Miller last played at Trinity Valley Community College.

Brown is high on his freshman class, which includes 6-5 guard Jesse Iweze from Byron Nelson High School and 6-2 guard Austin Shelley from Melbourne, Australia.

“We have 14 players this first semester,” Brown said. “From Jesse Iweze, who has a load of talent, to Austin Shelley, who can really fill it up. We have some guys who can do different things on the court. “Whether they can eliminate their weaknesses determines how long they stay on the court.

“Those that can demonstrate that they know what they are doing in practice will get a chance to play. But as I told the guys, I expect everybody to play those first three games. Everybody, so to speak, is getting a sniff out there. If you are getting whipped off the dribble or turning it over every time, you are going to come sit down on the bench.”

Brown’s record at WT has been flat-out awesome.

The Buffs are 162-40 in Brown’s seven years at WT, with four Sweet 16 appearances (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021), three Elite Eight appearances (2018, 2019, 2021), a pair of Final Four berths in 2018, 2021) and last year’s national runner-up effort.

The Buffs are nearly unbeatable at home, having won 52 of the past 54 games in the First United Bank Center. ”We have had very good teams with David Chavlovich, Ryan Quaid and Gach Gach,” Brown said. “Yeah, it’s a tough place to play, but we have had really good teams. And then the travel. When you go to play Kingsville, that’s 11 hours. Or playing Midwestern, it’s 3½ or four hours, but you leave the same day. It’s hard getting off a bus and then playing.”

The Buffs open their season in late October hosting the D2CCA

WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFS SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

D2CCA Tipoff Suddenlink Classic

Oct. 29 Colorado Mesa Oct. 30 Minnesota State-Moorhead Oct. 31 Daemen

South Central Regional Challenge

Nov. 12 Western Colorado

4 p.m. 4 p.m. 6:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 Western Colorado 1 p.m. Nov. 18 Lubbock Christian @ Lubbock Rip Griffin 7 p.m. Nov. 22 Midwestern State 7:30 p.m.

Pak-A-Sak Thanksgiving Day Classic

Nov. 26 Oklahoma Baptist 5 p.m.

Nov. 26 ENMU vs. SWOSU Nov. 27 Southwestern Oklahoma State

7:30 p.m. 5 p.m. Nov. 27 ENMU vs. OBU 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 Eastern New Mexico @ Portales, NM 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 Alumni Game Noon Dec. 4 Western New Mexico 2 p.m. Dec. 13 Champions College 11 a.m.

Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic

Dec. 17 MSU Billings @ Las Vegas, NM 4 p.m. Dec. 18 Lindenwood @ Las Vegas, NM 6 p.m. Dec. 31 UA-FS @ Fort Smith, AR 4 p.m. Jan. 2 Oklahoma Christian @ Oklahoma CityK 4 p.m. Jan. 6 Texas A&M Commerce 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8 UT Tyler 4 p.m. Jan. 13 St. Edward’s @ Austin 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 St. Mary’s @ San Antonio 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 Angelo State 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 UT Permian Basin 4 p.m. Jan. 27 Midwestern State @ Wichita Falls 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 Dallas Baptist @ Dallas 2 p.m. Feb. 3 Cameron @ Lawton, OK 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 Lubbock Christian 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 Eastern New Mexico 4 p.m. Feb. 15 Cameron 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 Western New Mexico @ Silver City, NM 8:30 p.m. Feb. 24 Texas A&M Kingsville 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 Texas A&M International 4 p.m.

Mar. 3-6 LSC Tournament TBA West Texas A&M’s Kavon Booker executes a dunk in the Buffs’ 88-77 win over Dallas Baptist March 5 at the First United Bank Center in Canyon. (Photo by Trevor Fleeman for WTAMU)

TIPOFF Classic with what Brown calls a loaded field.

“To get good teams in here to play is tough,” Brown said. “But we did this year after we lost a couple of All-Americans, and those teams are loaded. Absolutely, loaded.”

The Buffs open Lone Star Conference play Dec. 31 at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.

That means Brown has 14 games to figure out how the new players’ roles fit the old players’ roles and other adjustments.

No doubt, he’s looking forward to the challenge of life without JoJo and Quay.

“We are a great option for kids,” Brown said. “Our style of play. Our great facilities and our great support from the community.

“Every year is different. Last year at this time we were ready to go. We had lost Mose and lost Collins, a few weeks later we lose Derek (Geddis), and I’m like this is going to be tough, and we need other guys to step up. We searched for a while there. The year we went 32-1, we started the same five all year. Last year we had multiple changes.

“This year, I didn’t know what will happen. We are still trying to figure out our starting five, who is in the rotation, and we know it will change. You just never know.”

Buff Hayden Blankley makes a pass for West Texas A&M at the First United Bank Center in Canyon last season. (Photo courtesy of WTAMU Athletics) Parker Neilsen of West Texas A&M goes to the basket March 27 in the NCAA Division II national championship game against Northwest Missouri in Evansville, Indiana. (Photo by Trevor Fleeman for WTAMU)

Zach Toussaint Kavon Booker Hayden Blankley

Parker Nielsen Cameron Bell