Mens Basketball

Rokey Named All-American, Mericle Earns Scholar-Athlete Honors, and Strom Named National Coach of the Year

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Rokey Named All-American, Mericle Earns Scholar-Athlete Honors, and Strom Named National Coach of the Year

Manhattan, Kan.

The Thunder men's basketball team have earned more individual accolades this season with these being at the national level. Sophomore forward, Davis Rokey was named to the NCCAA All-American teams. Rokey has swept the first-team awards this season as he was a first-team All-Conference, All-Region, as well as MVP of the region, and All-American. Head Coach, Jordan Strom would be named the NCCAA National Coach of the Year after leading the Thunder to a 22-11 record.

The Thunder would also have one player earn NCCAA Scholar-Athlete honors. To be a NCCAA Scholar-Athlete the player must be a junior, senior, or graduate student, be a competing student-athlete or a varsity letter winner, and they must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40. Senior, forward, Cody Mericle would earn Scholar-Athlete honors. Mericle would finish his career by being named a two-time Scholar-Athlete. To see the full list of NCCAA DII men's basketball All-Americans and Scholar-Athletes, click this link.

 

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Recap: #3 Seed Men's Basketball Drops Third Place Game to #4 Seed Crown

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Mens Basketball
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Recap: #3 Seed Men's Basketball Drops Third Place Game to #4 Seed Crown

St. Bonifacius, Minn.

The Thunder men's basketball team had the opportunity to play one last time together for the 2024-25 season in a third place game against the Crown College Polars at the NCCAA National Tournament. The Thunder came out strong to start the game, but would fall behind 42-32 at the half. A slow start to the second half would see the Thunder call an early timeout. The Thunder would cut the Polar lead down to 13, but the deficit would be to large to overcome and the Thunder would drop the third place game 94-67.

The Thunder would shoot 35.9% from the field, 38.1% from the three-point line, and 72.2% from the free throw line. Sophomore, Davis Rokey would record his 13th double-double on the season with 21 points on 9-15 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds. Redshirt sophomore, Jordan Carter would have 11 points, three assists and two steals, while junior, Landon Gray would have nine points for the Thunder. By collecting 10 rebounds, Rokey became the single season record holder for total rebounds with 336 passing Charles Page's mark in 2010-11.

The Thunder finish the season with a 23-13 record, a Midwest Christian College Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championship, and a Final Four appearance.

 

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Recap: #3 Seed Men's Basketball Falls in NCCAA Final Four to #2 Seed Spurgeon

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Mens Basketball
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Recap: #3 Seed Men's Basketball Falls in NCCAA Final Four to #2 Seed Spurgeon

St. Bonifacius, Minn.

The Thunder men's basketball team made their eighth NCCAA Final Four appearance and took on the Spurgeon College Knights on Friday evening. The #3 seed Thunder jumped all over the #2 seed Knights and led 13-1 to start. The Thunder would take a 47-39 lead into the half and be in a back and forth battle throughout the second half. The Knights would take the lead with 14:15, but the Thunder would regain the lead with 9:52 remaining in the game. Second chances and free throws would close the game out for the Knights and the Thunder would fall 92-85.

The Thunder would shoot 39.7% from the field, 35.3% from the three-point line, and 80.6% from the free throw line. Senior, Micah Lovett would lead the Thunder with 19 points, going 12-12 from the free throw line, five rebounds, and six assists. Sophomore, Davis Rokey would have a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Juniors, Xavier Lucas and Jaxon Hurla would chip in with 12 points and 10 points, respectively.

The Thunder will play in the third place game tomorrow against the host the Crown College Polars at 2:45 PM.

 

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Recap: #3 Seed Men's Basketball Gets Gritty Win Over #6 Seed Campbellsville-Harrodsburg in NCCAA National Tournament Quarterfinal

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Recap: #3 Seed Men's Basketball Gets Gritty Win Over #6 Seed Campbellsville-Harrodsburg in NCCAA National Tournament Quarterfinal

St. Bonifacius, Minn.

The Thunder men's basketball team open play at the 2025 NCCAA National Tournament on Thursday afternoon. The Thunder would battle with the #6 seed Campbellsville University-Harrodsburg Pioneers and would pull off a gritty win, 72-69, to advance to the Final Four on Friday evening. This will be the Thunder's eighth appearance in the NCCAA Tournament Final Four since being affiliated with the NCCAA in 1994. The Thunder and Pioneers would be in a back-and-forth affair all game as their would be 19 lead changes and 15 ties throughout the entirety of the game. The game would be tied 38-38 going into the half. The Pioneer would take the largest lead of the game, a seven point lead with 7:51 to go. A 7-0 by the Thunder would tie the game at 59. The Thunder would fall behind by five with 2:44 left before an 8-0 run would close out the game and lead the Thunder to victory.

The Thunder would shoot 40.7% from the field, 25.0% from the three-point line, and 75.0% from the free throw line. Junior, Xavier Lucas would pace the Thunder with 20 points on 4-6 shooting from the field and 10-11 shooting from the free throw line, to go along with nine rebounds. Fellow junior, Jaxon Hurla would have 12 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while senior, Cody Mericle would have nine points and 10 rebounds. The Thunder would out-rebound the Pioneers 43-25 on the afternoon.

The Thunder will play in the NCCAA National Tournament Semifinal against the #2 seed Spurgeon College Knights tomorrow at 5:00 PM.

 

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Thunder Men's Basketball Earns At-Large Selection and #3 Seed in NCCAA National Tournament

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Thunder Men's Basketball Earns At-Large Selection and #3 Seed in NCCAA National Tournament

Manhattan, Kan.

The Thunder men's basketball team will head to the NCCAA National Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota as the lone at-large selection and the #3 seed in the eight-team tournament. The Thunder have earned the #3 seed after winning the Midwest Christian College Conference Tournament and finishing the season with a 22-11 overall record. The Thunder will open tournament play on Thursday, March 13th against the #6 seed Campbellsville University-Harrodsburg Pioneers. This game will tip at 2:45 PM. The Thunder and Pioneers are familiar opponents as they have met in the last two NCCAA National Tournaments that the Thunder have appeared in.

For more information on the NCCAA National Tournament, visit the thenccaa.org.

 

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NCCAA National Tournament

Recap: #2 Men's Basketball Win Region Tournament Quarterfinal Game; Outplayed in Region Semifinal

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Recap: #2 Men's Basketball Win Region Tournament Quarterfinal Game; Outplayed in Region Semifinal

Moberly, Mo.

The Thunder men's basketball team entered the 2025 NCCAA Central Region Tournament hosted by Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, MO as the two seed and would win their quarterfinal game over the seven seed the Barclay Bears and would fall in the semifinal to the three seed Kansas Christian College Falcons. On Tuesday, the Thunder would take on the Bears in a quarterfinal matchup. The Thunder would jump out to an 8-0 lead and never look back. A 54-37 lead into the half would keep the Bears away and the Thunder would earn the victory 100-69.

The Thunder would shoot 52.9% from the field, 57.1% from the three-point line, and 78.3% from the free throw line. Five players would score in double-figures and the Thunder would out-rebound the Bears 55-25. Junior, Xavier Lucas would have a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Davis Rokey would have a double-double of his own with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Senior, Micah Lovett would have 15 points, four assists, and five steals, while freshman, Tatum Pierce had 14 points on 7-10 shooting.

On Wednesday night, the Thunder would play in the semifinal game against the Falcons from Kansas Christian. The Thunder would get behind early and would be outplayed by the Falcons and fall by a score of 79-69. The Thunder would be down 45-31 at the half and turn the ball over a total of 22 times. The Thunder would battle and cut the Falcon lead down to six in the second half, but would be in too big of a hole to climb out of.

The Thunder would shoot 39.3% from the field, 34.8% from the three-point line, and 92.9% from the free throw line. Lovett would have 23 points on 9-16 shooting from the field, while Lucas would have another double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Senior, Cody Mericle would chip in with eight points and four rebounds.

The Thunder will await their fate once all of the region tournaments conclude next week. After two games in the region tournament, they have an overall record of 22-11.

 

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Three Thunder Men's Basketball Players and Head Coach Represented on All-Region Teams

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Three Thunder Men's Basketball Players and Head Coach Represented on All-Region Teams

Manhattan, Kan.

The Thunder men's basketball team entered the 2025 NCCAA Central Region Tournament as the two seed and would win their quarterfinal game over the Barclay Bears and would fall in the semifinal to the Kansas Christian College Falcons. The Thunder had three players and head coach represented on the Central Region All-Region teams. Sophomore, forward, Davis Rokey, who was named a first team All-Midwest Christian College Conference member, would earn Region Most Valuable Player and first team nod for the Thunder. Rokey played and started in all nine regular season region games. He would average 15.9 points per game on 58.8% shooting from the field, to go along with 8.7 rebounds per game, 1.0 assists per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. He would also convert on 63.9% of his free throws in region games only. Senior, guard, Micah Lovett, who was a second team All-MCCC selection, would earn a first team all-region honor. Lovett played and started in all nine regular season region games. He would average 13.0 points per game, to go along with 3.2 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game, and 2.0 steals per game. He would also convert on 71.9% of his free throws in region games only. Junior, guard, Jaxon Hurla, who was a honorable mention All-MCCC player, would earn a second team all-region nod for the Thunder. Hurla would play in all nine regular season region games, while starting in eight. He would average 11.1 points per game on 43.4% shooting from the field and 40.8% from the three-point line, to go along with 2.8 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game, and 1.7 steals per game in region games only. Head coach Jordan Strom would win Central Region Coach of the Year after leading the Thunder to a 19-10 regular season record and a 9-1 region mark.

The Thunder will await their fate once all of the region tournaments conclude next week after falling in the Central Region Semifinal. They have an overall record of 22-11.

 

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Thunder Men's Basketball Ranked #2 in Final Regular Season NCCAA Coaches' Poll

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Thunder Men's Basketball Ranked #2 in Final Regular Season NCCAA Coaches' Poll

Manhattan, Kan.

The Thunder men's basketball team are up two spots to #2 in the final regular season National Christian College Athletic Association Coaches' Poll for DII Men's Basketball. The Thunder won the Midwest Christian College Conference Tournament last weekend and are now 22-10 overall. With a total of 49 points, the Thunder are below North Central. The top-5 is as follows, #3 Crown, #4 Spurgeon, and #5 Grace Christian to round out the top half poll. For the full top-10 rankings for DII Men's Basketball, click this link.

The Thunder will play tonight in the NCCAA Central Region Tournament semifinal against the three seed Kansas Christian College Falcons at 7:00 PM in Moberly, Missouri.

 

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Four Thunder Men's Basketball Players Represented on All-Conference Teams

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Four Thunder Men's Basketball Players Represented on All-Conference Teams

Manhattan, Kan.

The Thunder men's basketball team captured the 2025 Midwest Christian College Conference Tournament title this past weekend, and some would leave with some individual honors as well. The Thunder had four players represented on the MCCC All-Conference teams. Sophomore, forward, Davis Rokey would earn a first-team nod for the Thunder after earning honorable mention honors as a freshman. Rokey played and started in all 11 regular season conference games. He would average 17.4 points per game on 63.5% shooting from the field, to go along with 7.7 rebounds per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 1.0 blocks per game. He would also convert on 64.6% of his free throws in conference games only. Two Thunder players would be named to the second-team in senior, guard, Micah Lovett and junior, guard, Xavier Lucas. Lovett played and started in all 11 regular season conference games. He would average 11.6 points per game, to go along with 3.4 rebounds per game, 1.9 steals per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. He would also convert on 76.7% of his free throws in conference games only. Lucas would play in 10 regular season conference games, while starting in nine. He would average 10.3 points per game on 54.3% shooting from the field and 33.3% from the three-point line, to go along with 5.8 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He would also convert 78.6% of his free throws in conference games only. Lastly, junior, guard, Jaxon Hurla would earn a honorable mention honor for the Thunder. Hurla would play in all 11 regular season conference games, while starting in 10. He would average 11.1 points per game on 38.7% shooting from the three-point line, to go along with 3.5 rebounds per game, 2.7 assists per game, and 1.4 steals per game in conference games only.

The Thunder will play in the NCCAA Central Region Tournament on Tuesday, February 25th against the seven seed the Barclay College Bears. This game will be at 5:00 PM at the Ferneau Center in Moberly, Missouri.

 

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Recap: #4 Men's Basketball Crowned 2025 MCCC Tournament Champions

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Recap: #4 Men's Basketball Crowned 2025 MCCC Tournament Champions

Manhattan, Kan.

The Thunder men's basketball team entered the Midwest Christian College Conference Tournament with a shared regular season title and would be the one seed for the tournament. The Thunder would earn a bye to Friday and host the four seed Faith Baptist Bible College Eagles. The Thunder would jump out to a 15-0 lead just over three minutes into the game and would bolster their lead to as much as 20 in the first half. The Eagles would not go away as they would cut the lead to three with 3:13 left in the first, but a 10-2 run by the Thunder would make the lead 11 going into halftime. The Thunder would control the second half and lead by double figures for all but seconds in the second half and the Thunder would closeout the Eagles 97-77.

The Thunder would shoot 51.5% from the field, 38.9% from the three-point line, and 58.8% from the free throw line. They would also out-rebound the Eagles 44-24 and force 18 turnovers. 11 Thunder players would score, led by junior, Xavier Lucas who had 20 points on 8-13 shooting from the field, to go along with nine rebounds and three steals. Senior, Micah Lovett would have an efficient night going 6-7 from the field scoring 16 points, while junior, Jaxon Hurla would have 13 points and redshirt sophomore, Jordan Carter would chip in with 11. Nine Thunder players would also have three or more rebounds on the night.

The Thunder then advanced to the championship game on Saturday where they would host the Ozark Christian College Ambassadors, who shared the regular season title with the Thunder. It would be a slow start for the Thunder as they would be down 8-1 to start the game. The Thunder would take their first lead with 9:07 left in the first half and would only lose the lead one more time the rest of the game. The Thunder would take their largest lead of the game with 13:13 left in the game, a 64-45 advantage. The Ambassadors would not go away quietly as they would cut the lead to single digits with 5:17 remaining. Clutch free throws down the stretch would secure the win for the Thunder crowning them the 2025 MCCC Tournament Champions! The Thunder are now 21-10 on the season.

The Thunder would shoot 47.1% from the field, 37.5% from the three-point line, and 83.9% from the free throw line. All the Thunder players that entered the game scored at least five points led by Lovett who had 22 points, going 10-11 from the free throw line, and also having three assists and three steals. Sophomore, Davis Rokey would have a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Lucas and Hurla would have 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Fred Criqui would score nine points and grab four rebounds.

The Thunder will play again on Tuesday, February 25th at the NCCAA Central Region Tournament. They will be the two seed will play the seven seed Barclay College Bears at 5:00 PM in Moberly, Missouri.

 

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MCCC Champs