Spring break at Oakwood University ended on a celebratory note after the 2015-2016 Men's Basketball Team won the USCAA Division I Championship on March 5. This is the third championship the Men's Basketball team has won since joining the USCAA in 2008, making Oakwood University the first college or university in Alabama to win three championships.
During this past basketball season, the Ambassadors fought long and hard, which eventually led them to the week-long tournament in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. After winning against Florida National in the quarterfinal and Rochester College in the semifinal, the Ambassadors won the National Championship game against its Alabama rival, Concordia College. The final score was 80-65.
The win reflects the determination and commitment exhibited by the team. Coach Simon Jacob knew there was something different about this group of players because they genuinely bought into the God First! principle that was emphasized during practice. "They gave up individual issues that they needed to give up in order to truly become a team. Lifestyle changes were made. They committed to discipline and the things they needed to do to win the championship," shared Coach Jacob.
Brandon Daniel (#15) is ending his senior year on a high note after being crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament. "It feels amazing. [It's] my senior year I was able to win the championship and get MVP... it's amazing and unbelievable," explained Daniel.
Daniel was not the only player recognized throughout the weekend. Juwane Damon (#23) was one of 23 student athletes awarded a place on the National All-Academic team for having a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Ryan Williams was named the USCAA Slam Dunk Contest winner, and Ronnie Abrams was named to the All-Tournament Team.
The team received a warm welcome home as they were greeted by fellow students when they arrived back on campus this past Sunday night. A rally was held on Monday afternoon and broadcast on Facebook Live showcasing how proud the Oakwood family is of the Ambassadors.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Thursday, March 10th 2016 at 12:48PM
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