Cameron Adams
Editor-In-Chief
Jackson State University’s Men’s and Women’s basketball teams concluded their run in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) season with a strong performance in the postseason tournament.
Head coach Mo Williams and the Jackson State’s Men’s team entered the tournament as the third seed, after finishing the regular season 12-6. Despite being able to bring home the trophy, this is still a notable achievement.
The Tigers were considered the underdogs in the SWAC conference. Jackson State was predicted to finish seventh in the Southwestern Athletic Conference according to Sports Illustrated’s preseason predictions.
With Jackson State being the youngest core in the conference, the Tigers were on a mission to establish themselves as true contenders for the SWAC title.
Coach Williams expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the 2022-23 roster, despite being counted out by others.
“I was emotional in the locker room because of how proud I am of those guys,” stated Williams. “Nobody gave us the credit to be where we are today, to finish third in the league…to be sitting here ten points away from going to the SWAC Championship.”
Jackson State fell to Grambling State University 69-78, during the semifinals of the SWAC tournament.
The Tigers put up a valiant team effort against the regular season Co-Champions. JSU had four players in double figures, emphasizing the team’s collective contributions.
One of the four key contributors was Romelle Mansel, a 6’9 junior forward from Los Angeles, Calif. He put up 12 points on 50 percent shooting from the field.
Despite it being his first year with the Tigers, Mansel made an immediate impact on the team, averaging eight points a game.
When asked about his experience since transferring to Jackson State, he emphasized the different cultures of the school.
“Coming from a PWI to an HBCU is a completely different culture change,” stated Mansel. “But [Jackson State] made me feel right at home.”
Although Mansel was welcomed to the team, he expressed his doubt about returning next year. However, he quickly dismissed the possibility after confirming that he would be returning to help the Tiger secure the SWAC title next year.
“I was thinking about leaving, but I’m definitely coming back. I gotta get back here next year, and I gotta get a ring, so I’m going to be back.”
The Lady Tigers also suffered the same fate as the men’s team, after falling two points short of making the SWAC championship matchup.
Head coach Tomekia Reed and the Lady Tigers were a force to be reckoned with in the SWAC regular season, earning the first seed in the standings. The Tigers entered the tournament with a regular season record of 18-2.
Jackson State was the favorite before falling short to Southern University in a nail-biting ending to the SWAC semifinal.
The matchup was a true battle for the throne, as both teams did not let up until the final second of play.
Ti’lan Boler and Daphane White led the offensive attack, as other team members held their patented defensive presence.
Boler, a 5’11 sophomore guard from Meridian, MS., lead the team in points, putting up 18 points along with six rebounds and two steals.
Daphne White, a 6’5 center from Gulfport, MS. followed shortly behind her notching 15 points, making seven out of her nine attempted shots.
Despite the persistent efforts of the Lady Tigers, it wasn’t enough to bring home the SWAC title.
When reflecting on the outcome of their season, Tomekia Reed immediately showed praise to the coach of Southern University, Carlos Funchess.
“I couldn’t be more proud of a coach to come in and knock us off,” Reed stated. “I’m happy for them, this is a moment that they deserve.”
Reed then expressed her disappointment with the performance of the team.
“We didn’t play our best basketball. Some of our better players didn’t come ready to play,” claimed Reed.
Although the Tigers were not able to claim a spot in the championship matchup, the journey to make it to their position is a victory within itself.
“My team has done something that nobody thought that we would do this year,” stated Reed. After losing key players Ameysha Williams and Dayzsha Rogan, the Lady Tigers were forced to rely on the younger players to step up.
“To be able to do the things that we have done: beat a power five, become regular season champions…to still have that with players who didn’t have big roles last year…I’m proud of my team.”
As the SWAC basketball season comes to an end, Tiger fans are ready to see what next season has in store.
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