KINGSVILLE, Texas – As the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team prepares for its final homestand of the 2019-20 season, the Javelinas are also preparing to honor five student-athletes who've been integral to the team's success this season and will play their final regular season game in Blue and Gold on Saturday.
TAMUK's weekend will begin on Thursday evening, when they'll welcome in the Dallas Baptist Patriots for a 7:30 p.m. matchup at the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville, Texas. The regular season schedule will end on Saturday and the Hogs will be challenged by the Tarleton Texans at 4 p.m.
Prior to the game with Tarleton, TAMUK's women's team will tip-off against TSU at 2 p.m. and at halftime of that game, the senior members of coach Johnny Estelle's squad will be honor: Chauncey Thomas (Plano, Texas), Rashon Thomas (Houston, Texas), John Mouton (Missouri City, Texas), Daniel Severo (Osasco, Brazil) and John Guerra (Melville, Texas), as well as student-manager Andres Landin and trainer Chase Britt.
"They've had a tremendous impact," said coach Johnny Estelle, "not just on the program, but on the institution. They've reached people in the community and the student-body and moved our basketball brand forward. They're winners on and off the court."
These seniors have helped guide the current edition of Javelina basketball (18-8, 14-6) to a program-record 14 conference wins and at least three members of this senior class have been in Estelle's starting lineup in 24 of his team's 26 games in 2019-20.
Chauncey Thomas is one of five Javelinas who hasn't missed a game this season and he appears set to lead his team in assists for the second straight year. Thomas has handed out 79 dimes, 18 more than anyone else on the roster, increased his contributions as a scorer of late. In his team's last 13 contests, Thomas has averaged 10.8 points per game, twice reaching his career-high of 19. He's also shooting 53.8 percent from the floor over that stretch and has scored in double figures nine times.
The rest of the seniors have also made their presence felt on the scoresheet. Rashon Thomas, Severo and Mouton have all set new season-highs in points over the last month and Guerra posted one of his best performances of the season in his team's last home game, putting up 11 points in a 96-62 victory over Texas A&M International. Guerra is also coming off playing a season-high 24 minutes on Saturday against Lubbock Christian.
The task for this group and the rest of Estelle's crew during the regular season's final weekend is to try and find their way back into sole possession of one of the top four spots in the Lone Star Conference standings. The opportunity for TAMUK to control its own destiny slipped away as a result of consecutive losses to Angelo State and Lubbock Christian, teams that sport conference records identical to the Hog's mark of 14-6, but now own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Javs. All three teams are sharing third-place in the LSC with the top four squads receiving a first-round bye.
"We've bounce back all year," said Estelle. "I'm always going to bet on my guys. You can be disappointed, which naturally we were, but the people in this locker room have demonstrated that we're winners and that they're united and together. That's remained consistent."
In order to give themselves a chance to pass ASU or LCU, the Javelinas must find a way past two teams who are right behind them in the league table. The Patriots are only one game behind the Blue and Gold in the LSC and are coming off a week that saw them pick up a couple of wins, including an upset of No. 7 St. Edward's. The Texans were unable to get by the Hilltoppers, but have won 11 of their last 14 since a Jan. 2nd loss to TAMUK. TSU will also be looking for its third straight victory at the SPEC.
Links to follow live video and live stats of both games, as well as Saturday's Senior Day ceremony can be found on Javelinaathletics.com and a recap of each contest will be published there as well postgame. Stay current with TAMUK men's basketball throughout the 2019-20 season by following @JavelinaMBB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, liking Javelina Men's Basketball on Facebook and subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
