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SALUQI CORNER: Saluqi basketball winds down; Baseball, softball and soccer gear up

By Keith Gentry 

Saluqis CornerThe Saluqi athletic program enters its busiest time of the year with the start of spring semester. The men’s and women’s basketball teams are entering the final stretch of conference games before the regional tournament and the baseball and softball teams are beginning their season of play. Congratulations to all the players for their success, tenacity and persistence to keep playing ball during the difficult times of the Coronavirus. Go, Saluqis! 

Saluqi Basketball 

 Saluqi Basketball

The men’s basketball team went into the final week of January with an 8-13 overall record and a 6-5 record in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA). With seven games remaining, the Saluqis are in third place in the conference standings. The Saluqis are coming off an impressive eight-point (81-73) win on the road over previously undefeated Dyersburg State January 19 and a 75-70 win at home over Chattanooga State January 22.

Players who have started the majority of the games this season for first-year head coach Jarrett Stephens are sophomore guard James DeJesus (leading scorer with an average of 18.4 points per game), sophomore forward Arecko Gipson (14.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game), sophomore guard Kaemon Prude (7.6 points per game), sophomore forward Juan Cajelli (5.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game), freshman forward Marcotis Hall (6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game) and freshman forward Mason Matthews (6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game). In addition, freshman guard Will Farris has been the top scorer off the bench (8.5 points and 2.3 assists per game) and sophomore guard Brandon Mason, the 2021 TCCAA West Division Most Valuable Player, just became eligible at the start of the semester and is averaging 16.7 points per game. 

Lady Saluqis Basketball 

Lady Saluqis Basketball

The women’s basketball team, under veteran head coach Andrea Martre, has played only 12 games total and seven conference games due to COVID-19 issues and have a 2-5 record in the TCCAA. Top players this season are sophomore guard Trinity Taylor (leading scorer with a 15.6 average), freshman forward Demiyah Gatlin (second leading scorer at 8.3 points per game), freshman forward Cailynn Knox (7.8 points and a team-leading rebounds 7.6 per game), and sophomore guard Breundria Ward (5.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game). Sophomore Ivana Rockemore has been the top post player off the bench (5.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game) while freshman guard Sinclair Johnson, a reserve early in the season, has started several games recently (3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game). In addition, sophomore guard Daisha Seltzer, an All-TCCAA selection last season, is now back on the court after recovering from an injury. The Lady Saluqis also have seven conference games remaining and are currently in eighth place in the TCCAA standings.

Saluqi Baseball

Saluqi Baseball 

The Saluqi baseball team will play plenty of (home) games at USA Stadium during the month of February, including the Early Bird Classic, the Flag City Classic, the Saluqi Invitational and the Babe Howard JUCO Classic.

Head coach Erik Schoenrock returns several starters off the 2021 squad, including infielder Dawson Simmons (All-TCCAA, .386 batting average in 2021), infielder Mitch Austin (.280 batting average in 2021), outfielder J.D. McCord (3 home runs in 2021), righthanded pitchers Avery Hastings (45-2/3 innings pitched and 46 strikeouts in 2021), Nick Vaccaro (39-2/3 innings and 34 strikeouts in 2021), Landry Borden (36-2/3 innings and 46 strikeouts in 2021), and lefthanded pitcher Gabe Nicholson (32-2/3 innings and 22 strikeouts in 2021). 

Saluqi Softball

Saluqi Softball

The Lady Saluqi softball team opened their season Feb. 5 against National Park College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Head Coach Keith Gentry returns eight players from last year’s team, including five full-time starters in catcher/third baseman Taylor Chastain (.307 batting average in 2021), second baseman Chloe Dunn (.292 batting average in 2021), shortstop Alyssa Nash (.333 batting average in 2021), and outfielders Makayla Ables (.333 batting average in 2021) and McKaylan Tuten (.273 batting average in 2021). Also back are first basemen Sarah Bell (2 home runs in 2021), Ashley Hopper (.256 batting average in 2021), and Faith Lecker, who is also the lone returning pitcher (23-1/3 innings in 2021).

To view the schedule of games for each sports program, visit Southwest’s Athletics website at https://athletics.southwest.tn.edu/landing/index.  Follow all sports on Southwest’s Facebook page @SouthwestTNAthletics.