OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 2 Mid-America Christian men's basketball team will officially open the 2020-21 season on Saturday as the Evangels will host Manhattan Christian for a noon tip-off at the Gaulke Activity Center.
LAST SEASON AT A GLANCE
Mid-America Christian is coming off one its most successful seasons in program history after completing the regular season with a 30-2 record and went 19-1 in Sooner Athletic Conference play to win the program's second ever league title. It was the first time the Evangels have won 30 games during the NAIA era (2007-present) and were only one of only four teams in the NAIA to finish with 30 victories. The Evangels strung together a 20-game winning streak to open the season, the longest since joining the NAIA and was the longest streak since winning 19 in a row during it 2003-04 NCCAA Division II championship run.
MACU earned its fourth ever bid to the NAIA Tournament, including getting the program's first ever No. 1 seed, however, the Evangels did not get the opportunity to contend for their second NAIA National Championship due to the tournament being canceled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Evangels were led by senior guard/forward Ashford Golden, who was not only the NCCAA Player of the Year and an NCCAA First Team All-American, but was also named an NAIA First Team All-American, joining Charlie Shorter and Semar Farris as the only players in program history to earn the esteemed accolade. Golden finished the season with 551 points (17.2 ppg) on a 46.3 percent shooting clip, went 69-for-166 (41.6 percent) from three and 114-for-140 (81.4 percent) from the foul line. Golden also led the team with 221 rebounds (6.9 rpg) and finished with 53 assists while also recording 33 blocks and 31 steals. The local Oklahoma City product and unanimous First Team All-SAC selection was the only player in the conference to rank in the top five for points, rebounds and blocked shots.
Despite missing the final third of the season due to injury, the Evangels got amazing contributions out of senior forward Cedric Wright, who averaged 15.2 ppg on a 71.2 percent field goal percentage while also ripping down 5.6 rpg and dishing out 23 assists to go with 12 blocks in 19 games played. Despite missing significant time, Wright was still selected as an All-SAC Second Team honoree.
In just one season, senior guard D'von Moore put together one of the best three-point shooting seasons in program history, as the Statesboro, Georgia product was an All-SAC Honorable Mention after averaging 11.5 ppg on a 78-for-191 (40.8 percent) rate from beyond the arc while also shooting 107-for-258 (41.5 percent) from the field as a whole.
THIS SEASON AT A GLANCE
The Evangels return a deep and promising squad for the 2020-21 season that will be led by a 2019-20 All-SAC Second Team honoree in Terrance Jones. The 6-5 small forward last season finished second on the team in scoring (428 points, 13.8 ppg) while shooting 152-of-268 (56.7 percent) from the floor and 108-for-141 (76.6 percent) from the charity stripe. The Dallas, Texas native was especially great late in the season for the Evangels, scoring 20 or more points in each of the last five games of the season while shooting 59 percent as well as 77.8 percent from the foul line. Jones also finished the year with 180 boards (5.8 rpg) and 15 blocked shots to go with 34 steals.
Another forward that will look to continue to build momentum going into his senior season is forward Dominick Ford. The 6-5 McKinney, Texas product was one of the most productive players in the MACU starting lineup last season, averaging 8.8 ppg while putting together the best three-point shooting clip in program history after going 50-for-102 (49 percent) beyond the three-point arc and shot 46.9 percent overall. Ford was one of the best rebounders, ripping down the second-most on the team with 151 (5.7 rpg).
Starting the final third of the season last year, senior forward Marvin Lowe will also look to build upon a solid junior campaign. Last season, the Tulsa, Oklahoma native averaged 7.1 ppg on a stellar shooting 91-for-124 (73.4 percent) from the field while ripping down 121 rebounds (3.9 rpg) to go with 11 steals and nine blocks on the defensive end.
MACU will also be looking for strong contributions from its back court in senior guards Tony Dorsey and Damarius Brooks. Dorsey was an All-SAC Honorable Mention and one of the best defenders on the team, leading the squad with 44 steals. The Shreveport, Louisiana native also dished out a team-high 112 assists while averaging 9.1 ppg on the offensive end. Brooks was another lethal three-point shooter in the MACU lineup, recording the second-highest three-point shooting percentage in the NAIA era by knocking down 37-of-79 (46.8 percent). Brooks averaged 7.2 ppg during his junior campaign and despite suffering just the second loss of the season, the Brookhaven, Mississippi product saved his best for last with a 21-point performance in the SAC Semifinal against Southwestern Assemblies of God on Mar. 6.
The Evangels are also highly optimistic about its incoming class, especially redshirt junior forward Malik Malone. After redshirting the 2019-20 season, the 6-7 forward from Temple College averaged 15.1 ppg while shooting 41.5 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three and 78.7 percent from the foul line during his sophomore campaign. Junior forward Derrick Magiya is also expected to make some strong contributions after averaging 9.6 ppg on 47.5 percent shooting while averaging 7.4 rpg and led Hesston College with 45 assists from the low post his sophomore year.
MACU brought in some strength to its backcourt with the additions of Omar Boone, Jasiah Lewis and Caleb Riggs. Boone, a 5-10 guard that transferred in from NCAA Division II Newman, recorded 32 assists and 22 steals while averaging 4.0 ppg with the Jets during his junior year. Boone had a stellar playing career at NOC-Tonkawa, where he was a prolific three-point and free throw shooter, going 44.8 from three-point land and 86.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Lewis comes to MACU after a fantastic season at SUNY-Sullivan. The 6-1 guard from Brooklyn, N.Y. helped lead SUNY-Sullivan to a 28-2 record and qualified for the NJCAA National Championships before the event was canceled. Last season, Lewis averaged 12.4 ppg and dished out 153 assists.
Riggs is another dynamic three-point shooting guard from Connors State College, where he finished 12th in the entire NJCAA after knocking down 88-for-225 (39.1 percent) while averaging 12.6 ppg.
Mid-America Christian will enter the season with high expectations once again, as the Evangels were ranked second in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll while also being picked to win the Sooner Athletic Conference for the second straight year.
SCOUTING THE THUNDER
Manhattan Christian entered the 2020-21 season after going 19-11 last season and after defeating Randall (Okla.) in the NCCAA Division II Southwest Region Championship, advanced to the NCCAA DII National Championships. However, much the Evangels, the Thunder did not get the opportunity to compete for a national title due to the tournament being canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Thunder will be competing in their third contest so far this season, coming off a 76-74 loss at Kansas Wesleyan on Oct. 23 and an 87-75 defeat at home to McPherson (Kan.) on Oct. 27.
Through the first two games, MCC has been getting strong production out of UCO transfer forward Tanner Heiden. The redshirt freshman is averaging 13.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg to go with five steals and four blocks on the defensive end. The Thunder as a whole have been going deep to their bench with 16 different players seeing action so far this season.
HISTORY WITH THE THUNDER
Mid-America Christian will be playing Manhattan Christian for the fifth consecutive season, winning the four previous matchups. In last season's meeting on Oct. 26, 2019, the Evangels dominated with a 112-67 victory. The Evangels had five players score in double-figures, led by Ashford Golden with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with six rebounds and four assists. Cedric Wright chipped in 16 points while Terrance Jones added 14 off the MACU bench.
