The Apaches look to build on a very successful season and aims for another ACCAC title.
The Cochise College men’s basketball team is excited and optimistic after a successful 2021 spring season. Due to COVID, the NJCAA was able to have a true season, and the Apaches took advantage of outstanding administrative leadership and played an actual season. The team won their third straight ACCAC title and captured the 2021 NJCAA Region I Championship with an 83-62 thrashing of ACCAC rival Arizona Western College in the Championship game. The Apaches were able to earn the NJCAA Western District Championship and participate in the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. Cochise was ousted by Ranger College in the first round of the National Tournament and finished the season with an 11-3 overall record.
“We really cannot say enough how fun, rewarding and awesome last season was for our program,” said Head Coach Jerry Carrillo. “To bring guys in January and have the success we had in addition to overcoming COVID says a lot about our players and the culture of our program.”
Cochise returns six players from last season’s championship team. Stephen “Tank” Byard returns after having a stellar first year with the Apaches. Byard averaged 19 ppg and dominated the glass in the ACCAC while earning both first teams, all ACCAC, and NJCAA Region I honors. Byard was named the ACCAC Player of Year last season and was also named the third team all-American by the NJCAA. Sophomore Jalun Trent returns for his last year in an Apache uniform after being named first-team all ACCAC and first-team all NJCAA Region I. Trent led the ACCAC in assists with over seven per game. Cochise also returns guard Jonathan Garcia who had a great first year for the Apaches. Last year as he averaged 14 ppg off the bench. Key reserves Jordan Clark, Dakota Gillespie, and Donte Dupriest round out the returning letterman for the ACCAC Champions.
The team entered the vaunted NCAA DI transfer portal signing two NCAA DI transfers for this season. Cochise used its east coast ties to sign Lawrence Foreman, a rugged 6’8 post man who entered the NCAA transfer portal after completing the season with Rider University in New Jersey. Cochise landed a 6’2 combo guard in Jay Rodgers, also from the vaunted transfer portal. Rodgers is a smooth lefty who was at the University of New Orleans last year.
Cochise was also able to use its Australian connection to land Oscar Cluff, a very impressive 6’10 incoming freshman from Queensland, Australia. Cochise brings Tyreese Watson, a very impressive 6’4 guard from Monsignor Bonner High School. Transfers Roman Garcia and Ray Brown from Tarleton State University and Western New Mexico University add depth to the Apache roster.
“We have some excellent guys back from last year’s championship team, and we have some talented newcomers,” said Carrillo. “Getting the newcomers to buy in and work together will be key to our success.”
The Runnin’ Apaches will again look to play an exciting brand of up-tempo basketball as they led the ACCAC in scoring last season. The Apaches invite fans to come out to support and root the defending ACCAC champions for a great season.
This season brings the return of Assistant Coach Jason Hopkins. Hopkins was an Academic All-American during the 2005-06 season, arguably the best Cochise team in history that finished ninth in the Nation. He also coached with the Apaches in 2008-09 and 2010-11. Hopkins has been at various levels of basketball and brings a wealth of knowledge to the program.
This year also marks the 27th year at the helm for Head Coach Jerry Carrillo. Carrillo has won 571 games in his long tenure at Cochise and had the most ACCAC wins in ACCAC history.