After an 85-76 victory over the Berkeley Knights on Saturday, March 2, Villa Maria’s men’s basketball team secured their bid for the USCAA Tournament.
“It was really a full circle moment when the clock struck zero and we were officially conference champs,” said Desmond Randall, the team’s Head Coach and the College’s Athletic Director. “To see all the hard work we have put in, and everything we have had to endure and overcome pay off, is truly a feeling that is hard to describe. First it hits you that we have achieved one of our season goals in winning a conference championship, and then when you realize that is reality, it hits you that we have officially qualified for nationals, which is always one of our top goals. To make it to the national tournament for the second straight year is such an amazing accomplishment because it assures us that everything we are doing is paying off and that we are on the right track.”
The No. 9 Vikings will take on the No. 8 seed, Penn State Mont Alto on Sunday, March 10 at 11 AM in Petersburg, Virginia. The Vikings finished their regular season with a winning record of 15-14. This year, the men’s basketball team was led by Head Coach Desmond Randall and Assistant Coaches Devon Camel and Rudy Bragg, ‘23.
The team features 5 double-digit scorers, with Juston Johnson, ’25, leading the way with a team high of 19.4 points per game, while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. On defense the Vikings have Nolan Shephard, ’24, and Master Radford, ’24, holding down the boards as they both bring down 8 rebounds per game.
The 2023-2024 Men’s Basketball roster is as follows:
- Trevin Boling, Guard, Sophomore from Tonawanda, NY
- Keion Brooks, Point Guard, Junior from Titusville, FL
- Demario James, Guard, Junior from Buffalo, NY
- Chris Coleman, Guard, Junior from Buffalo, NY
- Bryant Rosa, Guard, Sophomore from Buffalo, NY
- Juston Johnson, Point Guard, Junior from West Seneca, NY
- Santi Manero, Forward, Junior from Spain
- Devante Gwyn, Forward, Senior from Livonia, NY
- Taron Benton, Forward, Sophomore from Buffalo, NY
- Paxton Creek, Forward, Junior from Kalgoorlie, Australia
- Daniel Maku, Forward, Sophomore from Buffalo, NY
- Master Radford, Forward, Senior from Buffalo, NY
- Nolan Shephard, Forward, from Senior from Buffalo, NY
- Ricardo Washington, Guard, Sophomore from Buffalo, NY
For more information on all Basketball National Championship events please visit: www.basketball.theuscaa.com.
For more information on Villa Maria’s basketball program, please visit: www.villavikings.com.
