Howard College holds off Trinity Valley, 72-66, to reach NJCAA title game

Howard College advances in the National Junior College Athletic Association 2026 National Championship after meeting a strong challenge from Trinity Valley Community College, 72-66.

The Howard College (Texas) Hawks faced the Trinity Valley Community College (Texas) Cardinals in the semifinal round of the 2026 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at the Hutchinson (Kan.) Sports Arena on Wednesday, March 27, 2026.

Trinity Valley Community College entered the 2026 championship as the No. 4 seed with a 28-5 record. The Cardinals qualified for the tournament by winning the NJCAA Mid-South District Tournament.

Howard College secured a place in the 2026 championship by winning the NJCAA Southwest District Tournament. The Hawks entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, boasting an impressive 29-4 record.

Trinity Valley Community College won its opening-round game against Monroe University by a score of 73-66. In the quarterfinals, the Cardinals defeated Northern Oklahoma College-Enid 83-44. The team features three of the top Division I recruits in the country: sophomore Zati Loubaki, who has committed to Utah, along with fellow sophomores M.J. Wardlow and Braylon Wenger.

Howard College began its tournament with a 96-75 victory over Daytona State College. In the quarterfinals, the Hawks defeated Butler Community College in double overtime, 134-128. The team features a strong frontcourt that includes 6-foot-10 freshman Kuai Deng, 6-foot-9 freshman Terry Copeland and sophomore 6-foot-4 Elijah Tshibangu. Together, the trio contributed 126 points and 52 rebounds across the two games.

The game was a contest between two evenly matched teams, both with comparable frontcourt length and strong guard play. The Trinity Valley Cardinals controlled the early part of the game, establishing a seven-point lead at the 13:00 mark of the first half. The Howard Hawks stayed close throughout the first half and took their first lead of the game with just three seconds remaining, thanks to a late free throw. Statistics indicated that while the teams were nearly even, the Hawks were more efficient, making 11 field goals on 10 fewer attempts.

The second half was similar to the first, with Howard maintaining a slight advantage. At the 11:53 mark of the second half, the Hawks extended their lead to eight points, but the Cardinals quickly reduced the deficit to four. Fouls became a significant issue for Trinity Valley as the game progressed. Howard scored 14 points from the free-throw line, shooting 75%, while the Cardinals managed only 3 of 6.

In the final minutes, the Trinity Valley Cardinals continued to fight. With 57 seconds left, the Cardinals closed the gap to one point but were unable to take the lead. The game ended with a Howard Hawks victory, 72-66.

Cardinal sophomore Braylon Wenger was the top scorer in the game, finishing with 24 points. He made four 3-pointers and was a perfect 6 for 6 from the free-throw line. M.J. Wardlow contributed 12 points, making him the second-highest scorer for Trinity Valley. Sophomores Mani Henderson and Derelle Desire each grabbed five rebounds. Zati Loubaki had limited playing time due to early foul trouble.

In the game against Trinity Valley, sophomore Brandon Ivery led the Howard Hawks in scoring with 18 points. Freshman Terry Copeland and sophomore Elijah Tshibangu each contributed 15 points, while Copeland also topped the rebounding charts with nine rebounds. Freshman Kuai Deng faced early foul trouble, which limited his playing time. A key statistic from the game was Howard's success at the free-throw line — the Hawks scored 21 points compared to just nine for Trinity Valley.

With this victory, Howard College improved its record to 32-4. The win sends the Hawks into the championship final, where they will face No. 2 seed College of Southern Idaho on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Trinity Valley Community College concluded its season with a record of 30-6.