Injuries played key role in competitive men’s basketball season

The injury bug was prevalent on the Hill College Men’s Basketball team – especially during the second half of the season – as the Rebels ended the year with an overall record of 9-22 (2-12 conference).

Despite the team’s record, the Rebels lost three games by 5 points or fewer during the course of the 2024-25 season, including a 77-72 loss to South Plains College in November. South Plains College finished the season ranked No. 8 in the country.

“The conference was very even, as any team could win on any given night,” Hill College Men’s Basketball Head Coach Swede Trenkle said. “Even though we didn’t win many games, we were in most of them all the way to the end.”

Conference opponents Weatherford College and McLennan Community College both won their opening games of the Region 5 Tournament – and MCC advanced all the way to the championship game.

“Injuries are what made it hard for us to close out games,” Trenkle added. “Our scoring was plagued due to our lack of depth. For most of the season, we had ‘over 30 points’ injured in street clothes on the bench.”

Trenkle said after starting the season 5-0, he lost his top three scorers due to injuries for the next eight games.

“We lost all eight games,” he said. “And in the second semester, we only played four games with our starting five – and finished 2-2 during that stretch.”

Three student-athletes were recognized on the All-Conference Team including Kemauri Mellender, First Team All-Conference; Charles Okafor, Second Team All-Conference; and Derrick Morris, Second Team All-Conference.

Mellender finished the season ranked fourth in the region in scoring (16.1 ppg) and fifth in 3-point percentage (30.6 percent). Sophomore Allen Omana also finished second in the region in 3-point percentage (40.2 percent).

As far as the sophomore student-athletes moving on to the next level, Trenkle said Mellender has signed with UTSA, and Okafor is still going over several offers.

“We are excited about next year’s team,” Trenkle added. “We will have two starters back, and we have signed three new student-athletes at this time who will be great additions to our team.”