Wallace State, Shelton State basketball teams prepare for NJCAA Division I National Championships

HANCEVILLE – The men’s and women’s basketball teams from Wallace State and the Shelton State women’s team are continuing the madness this month.

But not at the NCAA Division I level.

The three Alabama Community College Conference teams are taking part in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I basketball championships

Wallace State’s men’s team plays Frank Phillips College (Texas) on Sunday at 8 p.m., in Hutchinson, Kan.

The 22^nd-seeded Lions (26-5) are making their second consecutive appearance at the national tournament and fifth in program history. Led by first-year coach Faron Key, Wallace State enters the tournament as winners of eight straight games.

Wallace State is led by sophomores Kami Young and Kendarius “KJ” Anderson, each who earned recognition as Alabama Community College Conference 1^st team all conference selections.

Young was the conference’s leading scorer at 22.7 points per game. He shoots an ACCC-best 87.6% from the free-throw line and has contributed out 117 assists.

Anderson, a Tuscumbia native, averages 19.5 points per game, including a league-best 42.1% from beyond the three-point arc.

Frank Phillips is the No. 11 seed.

Meanwhile, Wallace State and Shelton State are playing in the NJCAA women’s national tournament in Casper, Wyo. It starts Tuesday.

The 19^th-seeded Wallace State Lady Lions (28-4) play 14^th-seeded Murray State College (Okla.) at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday.

This is Wallace State’s first national tournament appearance since 2020 and second in 10 years after upsetting Shelton State in the ACCC Tournament championship game on March 8.  The Lady Lions, led by first-year coach Joseph Simmons, earned the program’s first ACCC Tournament championship since 2011.

Wallace State is paced by the backcourt duo of Kallie Tinker and Kameron Sanders.

Tinker, a Pisgah native, is the team’s leading scorer, registering 14.2 points per game. She also leads the NJCAA with 129 3-pointers made.

Sanders adds 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Shelton State, led by longtime coach Madonna Thompson, will make a 14^th straight appearance at nationals, earning an at-large bid and the No. 8 overall seed.

The Lady Bucs (28-4) play March 28 at 11 a.m. against the winner of South Plains and Monroe University.

Shelton State is led by ACCC Player of the Year Julie Nekolna, who averages 15.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Nekolna was the ACCC’s top scorer during the regular season, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field.

Alana Obianozie and Makala Hobdy were also 1^st team All-ACCC selections for the Lady Bucs. Obianozie averages 13 points and 7.3 rebounds, while Hobdy tallies 11.2 points per contest.

Lameria Thomas has pulled down a conference-best 294 rebounds this season.

Thompson heads into the national tournament with a career record of 718-149 in 27 seasons at Shelton State, leading the Lady Bucs to the NJCAA Final Four three times.

All men’s and women’s games will be streamed on ESPN+ and the championship games for each will air on ESPNU.