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Nov 12-09

Runnin’ Bulldogs defense dominates McLennan

Navarro holds Highlanders to 22 first-half points

By Todd Wills

Navarro coach Johnny Estelle loves the defense his Runnin’ Bulldogs are playing early in the season.

And he doesn’t take the credit for another sparkling defensive effort like Navarro had in Wednesday night’s 71-56 victory over McLennan at the Wolens Center.

He gives it to his players, and particularly assistant coach Eric Colbert, who scouts the opponent and then puts the Runnin’ Bulldogs in the best position to get stops against their opponent.

“He’s the best defensive coordinator around,” Estelle said.

Navarro football defensive coach Wade Griffin might take exception to that, but it’s difficult to argue with Colbert’s work.

Navarro led 38-22 at halftime, doing a great job of guarding the perimeter, taking charges and challenging shots.

“We’re playing really good team defense right now,” said sophomore guard Matt Pressey, who 19 points to lead Navarro.

McLennan did go on a 7-0 run to start the second half, cutting the lead to 38-29. But the Runnin’ Bulldogs didn’t panic and went on an 8-1 run. Pressey had a drive and a dunk for the 46-30 lead with 13:33 left in the game.

Navarro got solid inside play from Keith Denson, Jourdain Allou and Cortrell Eskeridge. They combined for 23 points and 23 rebounds. Allou had a key play when he slashed through the lane to grab a rebound, putting it back for a 56-41 lead. He drew a foul but missed the foul shot.

“We try to build a program here,” Estelle said. “They didn’t have to wait their turn, but we had Paul (Crosby) and Chase (Harper) last year and then Keith and Jourdain came in after them.”

Harper, who is playing football and committed to Nebraska this week, will return to the basketball team when No. 1 Navarro’s football season is over.

Denson is going to sign with Creighton on Thursday.

“Matt and the rest of them, they’ll get their chance,” Estelle said. “We’ve played three good teams so far. We’re setting the tone right now.”

Nov 4-09

Navarro hoops: Runnin' Bulldogs celebrate with rout

Navarro gets rings for last year’s title, then win, 118-36

From Staff Reports

Navarro celebrated last year’s Region XIV championship and first trip to the NJCAA national tournament on Tuesday night with a ring ceremony.

They also opened the new season with a ringing effort.

Freshman Greg Allen drilled five 3-pointers and scored 24 points as the Runnin’ Bulldogs hammered Texas Wesleyan’s Junior Varsity, 118-36, at the Wolens Center.

With last year’s All-American DeAndre Brown — now at Louisiana Tech — in attendance, Navarro built a 76-18 halftime lead.

“We played well in the first half defensively and got a lead,” Navarro assistant coach Eric Colbert said. “We were just trying to get everybody a chance to play.”

Jantzen Carter had 15 points and Matt Pressey added 13 for Navarro.

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Navarro 118, Texas Wesleyan JV 36

Texas Wesleyan JV 18 18 — 36

Navarro 76 42 — 118

Texas Wesleyan JV (36): LeAndre Spann 6, Dedrick Minnifield 1, Cameron Anderson 13, Loic Norvanno 4, Damon Miller 4, Ryan Allen 4, Chris McVey 2.

Navarro (118): Kenny Sharpe 10, Sam Ferguson 8, Greg Allen 24, Matt Pressey 13, Jantzen Carter 15, Kierre Beverly 10, Cortrell Estridge 4, Jordain Allou 10, Aaron Plunkett 6, Leon Gibson 8, Keithrick Denson 10.

Records: Navarro (1-0).

Nov 3-09

Bulldogs open new season as a target

After first trip to Hutchinson, No. 8 Navarro now the favorites

By Todd Wills

Daily Sun

The Navarro Runnin’ Bulldogs open a new season Tuesday night against Texas Wesleyan’s junior varsity with a No. 8 national ranking. They are the defending conference champions.

Ask three of the key returning players off of last season’s first team to make it to the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., and they all have different takes on the national ranking.

“That’s a big step,” sophomore guard Darian Thibodeaux said. “That’s a major step. We have a target on our back. Now we have to maintain that. I like being a target and having to prove myself.”

Sophomore post Keithrick Denson said the No. 8 ranking isn’t really news to him.

“We’re trying to strive to be No. 1,” Denson said. “Being No. 8 doesn’t do much for me.”

Sophomore guard Matt Pressey is somewhere in the middle.

“It’s nice to be ranked that high,” he said. “At the same time, it can hurt you more than it can help if you don’t take it the right way.”

However you look at it, the pre-Christmas schedule for the Runnin’ Bulldogs is about making improvements with a re-made roster. It starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday night at the Wolens Center.

“Really you’re just trying to peak for the conference tournament,” Runnin’ Bulldogs coach Johnny Estelle said.

The Region XIV Tournament is four months away. Right now Estelle is re-tooling his team without leading scorer DeAndre Brown, who will play for Louisiana Tech.

Brown’s departure means Navarro is likely to show more balance on the offensive end. It also means the Runnin’ Bulldogs will be without a guard who dominates the basketball, and the returning players aren’t shy about admitting they are looking forward to that.

“It’s definitely going to be different,” Pressey said.

Thibodeaux, Pressey and freshman Greg Allen will provide the scoring from the wings. Freshman Sam Ferguson from California and transfer Brian Talley (Duncanville), a transfer from Southern University who is currently injured, will run the point guard.

All five players, plus whoever else emerges, will have to pick up the slack for Brown, who was an NABC first-team All-American last year.

“We have the wings to give us the opportunity to put more numbers on the board instead of our star point guard averaging 20 and 30 this game and 45 one game,” Thibodeaux said. “We’re very unselfish. We have guys who can score from left to right. Up and down. It will be pretty balanced.”

The big improvement, Pressey and Thibodeaux, said will come from the offense of Denson, who will be the low-post threat with Paul Crosby graduating.

Denson, who is 6-8, said he’s way better on offense. Pressey said Denson’s passing and defense also have improved.

“ I don’t what happened,” Thibodeaux said. “He’s transformed. He went through a whole another phase.

Oct. 26-09

Navarro basketball: Runnin’ Bulldogs are No. 8

By Todd Wills

Navarro, which went to its first national tournament last season, will open 2009-10 as the No. 8 team in the NJCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Poll announced Monday.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs, which had a 26-11 record in 2008-09 opens the season Nov. 3 at home against the Texas Wesleyan JV.

"I've never been one to get into polls but it's good for the kids to get some early exposure," Navarro coach Johnny Estelle said. "Now we have a target on our back."

Central Florida Community College in Ocala, Fla. is the preseason No. 1-ranked team.

Conference rival Lon Morris is No. 24.

  Oct. 15-09

Region XIV Hoops: Navarro picked to be back in title game

Estelle, Runnin’ Bulldogs tabbed to win North Zone

By Todd Wills

ATHENS — Retired Trinity Valley coach Leon “Red” Spencer had a funny line at Thursday’s conference media day about being the defending Region XIV Champions.

“It’s a whole lot windier up there when you’re at the top of the flag pole,” Spencer said.

Navarro, which made it’s first NJCAA national tournament last spring, is about to find out. The Bulldogs are picked by the Region XIV coaches to win the North Zone.

The question is are they about to go through something new?

As Runnin’ Bulldogs coach Johnny Estelle is quick to point out, Navarro has now played in three consecutive regional championship games. Last year just happened to be the first one they’ve finished off. Navarro also has a ton of tradition because of what Orr was able to accomplish in three decades coaching in Corsicana.

“It doesn’t really matter if you’re the first place team or the last-place one,” Estelle said. “Teams in this conference are always out to get you.”

Navarro is in a different position having finally made it to the national tournament.

Estelle said making it to Hutchinson did help on the recruiting trail. Navarro was able to use the national tournament berth and assistant coach Eric Colbert’s California connections to land five freshmen from the West Coach, including 6-3 shooting guard Greg Allen from Fortuna, Calif. Darren Turpin, Sam Ferguson, Kierre Beverly and Leon Gibson III are also all from the California.

“We were able to bring that out,” Estelle said of the national tournament berth. “It helps us out a lot.”

The Runnin’ Bulldogs, who received eight first-place votes in the coaches’ poll, should be a very good team again, blending in the young talent with sophomores like Matt Pressey, Darian Thibodeaux, Chase Harper, Jourdain Allou and Keithrick Denson.

But as Lon Morris coach Dale Dotson, who has coached three teams to Hutchinson, said at the two-year college level, you just never know what you’re going to get.

Coaches are blending in new players — Navarro lists 10 freshmen on its roster — so there are no guarantees.

“It’s brutal,” said Dotson, the former Corsicana High School coach. “The first year I was at Lon Morris we were really good and we made it to Hutch. The next year we had all our guys back and we got knocked out in the conference semis. Teams change so much it’s hard to know.”

Estelle said it’s true that coaches are always starting over at the junior college level.

“You’re always getting younger,” Estelle said. “When you put them all together you don’t know what you’re going to get.”

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REGION XIV PRESEASON COACHES POLL

North Zone

1. Navarro (8) 82

2. TVCC (3) 77

3. Tyler (2) 74

4. Kilgore 46

5. Paris 44

6. Panola 27

7. Bossier Parish 14



South Zone

1. Lon Morris (10) 87

2. San Jacinto (2) 73

3. Lee (1) 62

4. Angelina 52

5. Jacksonville 36

6. Lamar State-PA 29

7. Blinn 25

                                                     IT'S TIME TO DEFEND WHAT'S OURS!   2009-2010 BASKETBALL SEASON

Navarro sophomore Jantzen Carter (25) of Houston drives around White Castle, La. freshman Ryan Holland during the Running Bulldogs Midnight Madness event Thursday night at the K. and Ida Wolens SEC.