Former Tigers from national runner-up team thriving at new schools

It took a special group of players to help lead the 2020-2021 Cowley College men's basketball team to its first national tournament appearance in 64 years and a national runner-up finish. Several members of that squad are still playing basketball and helping their new teams in the process.

Three former Tigers from the 2020-2021 team are playing at NCAA Division I schools, five at NCAA Division II schools, and three more in the NAIA.

Dalen Ridgnal, a Third Team NJCAA All-American at Cowley, averages 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while playing in every game for the Wichita State Shockers. He led WSU with 13 points and seven rebounds in its loss against KU and was named to the Fall Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Shemarri Allen, an Honorable Mention all-conference performer at Cowley, averages 7.8 points and 3.8 rebounds while playing for Big 12 school University of Central Florida, which defeated a University of Kansas team that was ranked No. 3 in the country at the time.

Josiah Harris averages 6.8 points and 6.1 rebounds for the NCAA Division I Radford Highlanders.

Jacquez Yow averages 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds at NCAA Division II Limestone University.

Moun'Tae Edmundson, another Honorable Mention all-conference player at Cowley, leads NCAA Division II Oklahoma Christian University in scoring at 13.6 points per game to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Kobe Campbell averages 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds while playing for NCAA Division II Arkansas-Fort Smith. Raishaun Brown averages 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds at NCAA Division II Davenport University. Meanwhile, Tarese Morse averages 1.6 points and 1.6 rebounds for NCAA Division II University of New Haven.

Cevin Clark, an Honorable Mention all-conference selection at Cowley, now plays for Southwestern College and was named the KCAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He leads the NAIA in scoring at 26.5 points per game and has surpassed 2,000 career points during his three years at SC. The Moundbuilders are currently 24-5 and seeking a third straight trip to the NAIA National Tournament.

Clarence King averages 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds at NAIA school Henderson State, and Titas Mikalopas averages 3.3 points at NAIA school Webber International University.

Mikel Henderson, who earned Second Team all-conference honors at Cowley, finished playing collegiately after the 2022-2023 season, averaging 11.7 points for NCAA Division II Central Missouri.

The 2020-2021 Tiger basketball team finished as Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division champs, Region VI champs, and the national runner-up after falling to Coffeyville 108-99 in the national title game.

Then head coach Tommy DeSalme was named the Plains District Coach of the Year and the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association (KBCA) Men's JUCO Coach of the Year as Cowley finished the season with a record of 25-4.

The 2020-2021 team scored over 100 points in 23 of 29 games and finished second in the nation in scoring at 109 points per game.

As DeSalme said following the loss in the title game.

"This was an incredible group that put us on a national stage."