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Terence Shelby Jr. – Arizona Christian University
Terence Shelby Jr. transferred into Arizona Christian University in Phoenix, Arizona after wrapping up a two-year career at Southwestern Community College and hasn’t wasted any time on the court.
Shelby Jr. has helped lead the Firestorm to a NAIA Div. I national tournament appearance and was named as to the Golden State Athletic Conference all-conference team in his first season at ACU as a junior.
The former SWCC basketball product helped ACU put together a 23-8 record this season and earn a No. 7 seed in the Naismith Bracket where they will take on second-seeded Wayland Baptist (Texas) Wednesday, March 20 at 10 p.m. in Kansas City, Missouri.
As a junior, Shelby Jr. averaged 17.7 points per game while shooting 40.9 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc, hitting a team-high 93 triples.
He also leads the team in steals with 48, is second on the roster in assists with 99 and pulled down 132 boards over the course of the season.
He had a game-high in points seven times this season.
Alijah Thomas – McKendree University
Alijah Thomas was another two-year standout with the Southwestern Community College men’s basketball team while in Creston.
Thomas traveled north, transferring to McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois – an NCAA Div. II program – to finish up his final two years of collegiate basketball.
As a junior Thomas started 25 of 27 games for the Bearcats and averaged 9.8 points per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor.
The former Spartan tied for the team lead in assists with 81 on the season and led the team in steals with 32 while also pulling down an average of 3.3 rebounds per game.
He had a team-high 15 points and two assists when McKendree took on Drake University Dec. 29.
McKendree finished the year with a 9-18 overall record.
Khallid Edwards – Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Along with Shelby Jr. and Thomas, Khallid Edwards was also part of a historic run at Southwestern Community College.
Since moving on from SWCC, Edwards transferred to Oklahoma Panhandle State University – an NAIA Div. I program – and started in all 19 games he participated in his junior season.
Edwards put together an impressive junior campaign, averaging 15.5 points per game and hit 51.3 percent of the shots he attempted from his guard position.
The SWCC standout also hit 50 percent of his 3-pointers and led the team in assists with 89.
Edwards was named Sooner Athletic Conference all-conference honorable mention for his performance this season.
After putting together a season-high 24 points in the SAC quarterfinals against No. 5 Wayland Baptist, the Aggies bowed out of the conference tournament and finished the season with a 16-14 record.