Texans, Lady Texans earn top 25 honors in NJCAA basketball preseason national rankings

LEVELLAND — With just under two weeks remaining from the 2022 basketball season tipping off, the South Plains College men's and women's basketball teams were each recognized by the NJCAA in the national preseason rankings, as the Texans and Lady Texans both earned top 25 preseason honors.

The Lady Texans, who won their second consecutive Region V title a year ago and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Women's Basketball National Tournament, came in at No. 8 in the preseason national rankings. The Texans, who also won the Region V crown last season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NJCAA Men's Basketball National Tournament, were slotted at No. 19 in the men's preseason national rankings.

Ara Baten, who begins his third season at the helm of the SPC women's basketball program, returns several key pieces from last season's squad, including sophomore forward Celia Sumbane, who averaged over 12 points per game during her freshman stint. Sophomore Matilda Soderlund will look to the next step facilitating the Lady Texan's offensive attack, as the 5-5 guard from Sweden appeared in 26 games as a freshman, averaging 4.8 points per game and shot 41.2 percent from distance.

The Lady Texans will open the season at home on Nov. 3 when they host the South Plains College Classic. SPC will square off with Coastal Bend College at 6 p.m. on Nov. 3, followed by a 6 p.m. matchup against Connors State College on Nov. 4. South Plains will then take on Dodge City at 2 p.m. on Nov. 5, followed by a top 10 contest against No. 6 Blinn College on Monday, Nov. 7.

For the first time in more than two decades, the Texans will have a new leader roaming the hardwood at the Texan Dome as Hayden Sowers begins his first season at the helm of the SPC men's basketball program. Sowers served as an assistant coach for the Texans during the 2021-2022 season, as he takes over for NJCAA Hall of Fame Coach Steve Green. Sowers brings back several key pieces from the 2021 team, including sophomore big man Kalifa Sakho. A 6-10 forward from Rouen, France, Sakho appeared in 32 games as a freshman, averaging 6.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Sakho will be joined in the paint by sophomore Malek Abdelgowad, a 6-10 forward from Egypt who averaged 6.9 points and 6.2 boards per game during his freshman stint.

The Texans will open the season at home on Nov. 1 at 6:00 p.m. against Victoria College, before traveling to the University of Central Oklahoma for a two-game stint. SPC will square off with Northern Oklahoma College-Enid at 4 p.m. on Nov. 6, followed by a 4 p.m. contest against Murray State College a 4 p.m. on Nov. 7. Following a trip to Plano Nov. 11-12, South Plains will be back home on Nov. 18-19, when they play host to Otero College on Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. matchup on Saturday, Nov. 19 against Dallas College North Lake, who was tabbed as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA Div. III preseason rankings.

The full men's and women's basketball schedules can be found here:

Women's schedule: https://www.spctexans.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/schedule

Men's Schedule: https://www.spctexans.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/schedule