DMACC Basketball Ends Best Season In 4 Years

The DMACC men’s basketball season came to a close Thursday when they fell to #2 Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids by the score 87-77 in the second round of conference postseason action. This was the Bears third matchup against Kirkwood this year, and although they lost each game, this 10-point decision was the closest game of the season between the three. DMACC’s final record for the season was 21-10, their best mark in four seasons.

In the first round of postseason play on Tuesday, DMACC defeated Ellsworth in a 62-55 defensive struggle. The Bears were led by sophomore Tray Buchanan with 18 points, Buchanan also contributed 4 steals in the win.

Other Bears in double-figure scoring were sophomore starters DeShawn Davidson with 11 and Devonta Prince with 10. Freshman Vinny Tarello led the bench with seven points.

DMACC then traveled to top-seeded Kirkwood two days later and battled hard to stay in the game against one of the nation’s top teams. The Bears were down by double digits, but pulled within 3 points of Kirkwood with less than 10 minutes to go only to have the Eagles pull away in the final minutes.

Buchanan led the Bears again with 21 points, and Davidson was the only other Bear in double-figure scoring with 19. Prince scored nine points, and other sophomore starters Dyllan Robinson and Zaire Swaby scored two and four points, respectively, in their final game for DMACC.

Sophomores Ray Miller and Quinton Taylor finished their careers at DMACC in this game as well, Miller scored seven points and Taylor contributed six off the bench. Other Bears sophomores ending their DMACC basketball careers are Louis Psihoyos and Theron Sanders.

DMACC was ranked as high as #17 nationally during the season, and DMACC players received Conference Player of the Week accolades four separate times. This was DMACC’s first 20-win season in four years, and as the first season under Coach Bowler has ended, the Bears show a lot of promise moving forward.

“The leadership that they have, the buy-in that they’ve had for me as a first year head coach has been unbelievable. Those guys have really bought in to what I’m preaching, the culture I want in the future and what we want out of our program . . . being 21-9 is a testament to how good they are,” Bowler said.

Davidson, a three-time conference player of the week, spoke on his growth this season, saying that being at DMACC has “improved me into a better man . . . not just a basketball player. Being around Coach Bowler and this great group of kids has made me better in a lot of aspects.”

Buchanan came to DMACC this year as a transfer from NCAA division one North Dakota, and agreed with Davidson on how his year at DMACC made him a better player, “It’s brought my confidence back, for sure. Being around a group of guys that’s all on the same page, wanting to work and wanting to win. It would elevate anyone’s game.”

DMACC will look to build on their successful season next year with returning players Zach Lester, Vinny Tarello and Makai Muhammad.