Ranger puts 7 on All-NTJCAC teams
The Ranger College men's basketball team dominated the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference during the regular season, winning its second conference title in three years. Thus, it should come as no surprise, the Rangers were recognized heavily on the 2018-19 All-NTJCAC squad. The Rangers placed seven members of its team, including head coach Billy Gillispie and freshman sensation Bryan Au, on the postseason honors team.
Overall, they were among 35 NTJCAC players recognized for their efforts by the conference's nine coaches.
Au and sophomore Coryon Mason helped RC dominate the conference superlatives handed out. Au was selected the Freshman of the Year recipient after turning in a solid rookie campaign. During the season, he helped power Ranger College to the NJCAA national title game by averaging 12.2 points per game. He also ranked among the nation's best three-point shooters, hitting 42,6 percent of his attempts.
Mason was tabbed the NTJCAC's Defensive Player of the Year. The Oklahoma City native played a key role in Ranger's ability to limit opposing offenses to just 68.5 points per game this season.
Gillispie added another award to his resume by being named the 2018-19 NTJCAC Coach of the Year. Only a few months removed from undergoing a kidney transplant, Gillispie guided RC to a 13-1 record in conference and a berth in the Region V tournament. The Coach of the Year honor marked the third different honor for Gillispie during his career. He was the Big 12 Coach of the Year twice while leading Texas A&M, and the SEC co-Coach of the Year in 2008 during his first season at the University of Kentucky.
Sophomores Keyshaad Dixon and Jonathan Jackson both earned spots on the first-team all-conference roster. A point guard from Boston, Dixon was among the top players in the NTJCAC this season. In addition to ranking among the conference's leaders in assists, he averaged 6.4 points per game and spearheaded an RC offense that averaged more than 80 points per night.
A 6-5 forward from Fort Worth, Jackson was among the conference's elite big men. He averaged 12.2 points and just over four rebounds per game.
Mason and sophomore Jaren English were both selected to the second team all-conference team. Mason, who often came off the bench to provide the team a spark, finished the year averaging 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per outing. A guard from Detroit, Michigan, English scored 12 points per game, while averaging five rebounds and 2 assists.
Freshman Caleb Asberry was an honorable mention all-conference pick after averaging 10. 5 points per contest.
Collin College's Tajzmel Sherman was named the NTJCAC Player of the Year, while Temple College's Kedrian Johnson was named the Newcomer of the Year.
Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference
2018-2019 All-Conference Teams
Superlatives
Player of the Year – Tajzmel Sherman, Collin
Freshman of The Year – Brayan Au, Ranger
Defensive Player of The Year – Coryon Mason, Ranger
Newcomer of The Year – Kedrian Johnson, Temple
Coach of The Year – Billy Clyde Gillispie, Ranger
First Team
Tajzmel Sherman, Collin
Kedrian Johnson, Temple
Brayan Au, Ranger
Xavier Armstead, McLennan
Jonathan Jackson, Ranger
Lamont Simmons, Collin
Da'lante Brooks, SWCC
Xavier Johnson, Hill
Terreon Randolph, Temple
Jahmar Williams, Grayson
Dayante McCellan, McLennan
Keyshaad Dixon, Ranger
Second Team
Jaekwon Carlyle, Grayson,
Bryson Etienne, Temple
Coryon Mason, Ranger
Jaren English, Ranger
Ansu Sesay, Weatherford
Ke'lyn Adams, Weatherford
Mason Hix, Collin
Nighel Ceaser, Collin
Antonio Dorsey, SWCC
Emmanuel Bandoumel, Hill
Reece Spencer, Weatherford
Honorable Mention
Collin – Ryan Flores
Grayson – Camryn Givens
Hill – Rasheed Brown, Amiri Waddell
McLennan – Javen Hedgeman, Mike Adewunmi, Willie Thomas
Ranger – Caleb Asberry
SWCC – Malik Cooper, Jordan Hall
Temple – Sebastian Karwoski, Sammy Brooks