HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There are no talks of a national championship as the Dixie State College men's basketball team prepares for the junior college tournament this week.
After placing third last year, the Rebels, who play their opening round game Wednesday at noon against University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, are playing it cool. They're keeping the title talk just beneath the surface.
"We feel like we can go out there and do some damage," said Al Williams, one of two returning starters. "We're happy to be going back again. Maybe this time we can get it right."
Last year, Williams missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have forced overtime against eventual champion Wabash Valley (Ill.) in the semifinals.
"Anytime you have a big man like Jaime (Lloreda) at the junior college level, you've got a chance," Rebels head coach Jeff Kidder. "We just want to go out and play well and compete at a high level."
Lloreda, Dixie State's 6-foot-9 center from Colon, Panama, averaged 20 points and nine rebounds this year and made the winning shot with one second left against Snow College to send the Rebels to the National Tournament.
He is also the Scenic West Athletic Conference player of the year (making him an automatic All-American) and was on the all-tournament team last season at nationals.
"Not too many junior college teams have an inside presence like him," Kidder said. "We're going to get on that horse and see how far he takes us."
Arkansas-Fort Smith, a perennial powerhouse in JUCO baseball, is making its second straight trip to Hutchinson. Last season, when UAFS was known as WestArk College, the undersize Lions played up-tempo full-court press basketball.
While still undersized (their tallest player is 6-6), the Lions have changed their style dramatically. This year they like to slow things down and rely heavily on the 3-point shot.
"We've seen some things on film we feel like we can take advantage of," Kidder said. "But at this level, you just have to play your game. Do the things that got you this far."
Besides Lloreda's inside presence, Dixie State features the shooting prowess of Rod Prater (62 3-pointers, 15.9 ppg) and Kevin Woodberry (63 treys, 11.2 ppg) and the slashing style of Williams (11.6 ppg and 4.5 rebounds a game).
The Rebels, 30-3, face a UAFS team that has won 20 games in a row. The Lions, 25-6, are led by Jarrett Hart, a quick-shooting guard who averages more than 20 points a game, and Donnell Hayes, who was named the Region 2 tournament MVP.
Hayes had 13 points to lead Fort Smith to a 67-44 win over Eastern Oklahoma in the region championship game.
Also in the national tournament is defending champion Wabash Valley (28-4) and the No. 1-ranked team in the country, undefeated Schoolcraft (Mich.) College (29-0).