MBU – Kansas City Here We Come

Spartans Play in NAIA National Tournament

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Baptist is back in the NAIA national tournament. Head coach Matt Brock’s team was the regular season American Midwest Conference champion and heads to Kansas City as the third seed in the Naismith Bracket. The Spartans (28-4) play Loyola (Louisiana) (21-11) in Wednesday’s first round.

The NAIA national tournament brings 32 of the nation’s best NAIA teams to Kansas City for a six day basketball frenzy at Municipal Auditorium. MBU’s Wednesday night game tips at 8:15 and can be heard on mbuspartans.com. Kevin Paulus and I will be bringing you the action from down town KC.

MoBap has been ranked in the national polls for several weeks and have stayed healthy all season. Three players, Pablo Hernandez, Jesus Castillo and Kai Woodfall have started every game and Jahmouri Robinson and Callum Barker have started 31 of 32 contests.

Australian Connection

While most of the team has played multiple seasons together, the Spartans have two ‘one-and-done’ players in fellow Australians Woodfall and Barker.

MBU guard Kai Woodfall is playing in his only Spartan season and finds himself in the national tournament. Woodfall, a graduate transfer from Southwest Baptist University averages 13.5 points per game and is fifth nationally with 99 three-point baskets.

Barker’s senior season has brought stability to the Spartan center position. He’s averaging 7.8 points and five rebounds per game. The 6’9 Barker is backed up by MBU career shot blocking record holder Torrance Littles. His two-year career finds him with 106 career blocked shots, while averaging five points and 4.7 rebounds.

Woodfall says he loves playing for coach Brock and that he campaigned to get his fellow Aussie to join him at MBU.

 

 

The Lineup

Fellow senior Pablo Hernandez leads the team in scoring and was the AMC’s ‘Player of the Year’. The Spain native averages 14.9 points per game and is twelfth leading scorer in MBU history (1,255 points). Herdandez’s fellow starting Spaniard is Jesus Castillo.

The 6’6 Castillo is known for his long distance shooting, but he leads the team in rebounding, collecting 5.6 per game. His 45% shooting from long range ranks in the top 25 nationally and the sophomore has converted 79 triples this season. Castillo is the least experienced Spartan starter.

Jahmouri Robinson rounds out the starting lineup. The only American among the five starters, Robinson is also one of eight Spartans from the St. Louis area. The Cardinal Ritter graduate is 19th nationally in assists per game (4.4) and is fourth in Spartan history with 315 dimes.

Junior James McKelvin (Hazelwood East) and sophomore John Yaeger (Lutheran South) are part of Brock’s ‘second uint’. They and Littles routinely enter the game together. That unit is energetic and athletic. There is no drop off in Brock’s eight-man rotation.

Embracing the NAIA National Tournament

Brock is the AMC’s ‘Coach of the Year’ and the Spartans have won 87 games during his four seasons at the MBU helm. He is competitive and his drive to win is undeniable, but he wants his team to embrace and enjoy the whole NAIA national tournament experience.

 

 

Scouting the Opposition

MBU’s calling card is sturdy defense. They will be challenged in the first game of the NAIA national tournament. Loyola averages 86 points per game and they are athletic, fast and play ball-hawking defense. The Wolf Pack will be a challenge.

Two freshmen stars lead Loyola. Zach Wrightsil is a dynamic player. The 6’6 wing averages 18.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He has collected 32 blocked shots and 42 steals. Myles Burns leads the team with 9.3 rebounds, averages 16 points per game and leads the nation in steals with 79.

Four other Loyola players average more that six points per game.

Brock says the Wolf Pack will not be an easy opening round game.

 

 

The Spartans are heading to the NAIA National Tournament and we’re grateful to be along for the ride!

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