Garrett Nuckolls celebrates Trinity Valley’s national championship with assistant coach Guy Furr. (Travis Tapley)

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Trinity Valley is the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball national champion for the first time in program history.

Garrett Nuckolls and Zati Loubaki both scored 17 points to lead the 7-seed Cardinals to a 69-61 win over 17-seed Connors State (Oklahoma) in the championship game Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

“It’s amazing,” Nuckolls said. “There’s no other feeling like it.

“The long hours, multiple practices a day, every moment in the gym, we took serious and we went hard. There were no days off when we were in the gym. For us to do that and now win it, it means it was worth it. Every time we were on the line, every time we ran hills or whatever we were doing, winning it all made it worth it. Everything was worth it now.”

Trinity Valley set a program-record with its 34th victory this season, finishing with just three losses. The 2024-25 Cardinals were the first to play for a national title. The 1981-82 team, which took third place, and the 2015-16 team, both finished with 33 wins.

Trinity Valley took wins over Trinidad State (92-60), Cowley (61-60) and Panola (51-47) to reach the title game.

“I told them before the game that I keep the Region XIV championship piece of net either in my pocket or in my bag everywhere I go because they’re my favorite team as a head coach as far as people and the amount of hard work, the buy-in and the discipline they’ve had not only on the court but off the court with our academics and just the way they carry themselves on campus and in the community,” Trinity Valley head men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar said.

“It’s bigger than basketball for me. I truly love this group of young men, and I’m really excited for them. They did it because they bought in to the hard work together, and you know when you work hard, you create. You give yourself a chance to do something special.”

The first half featured six ties and six lead changes. After Loubaki made a jumper to give the Cardinals a 32-30 lead with 22 seconds left in the first half, DJ Dormu came down and made a layup with three seconds on the clock to tie the score at 32 at the half.

In the second half, Nuckolls — a former Bullard High School and LaPoynor High School standout who had just two points in the first half — scored seven quick points to start the second half. After Connors State cut the score to 41—38, Nuckolls hit two free throws to give him the Cardinals’ first nine points of the second half.

Cameron Williams had a putback for Trinity Valley and then Nuckolls made a couple of jumpers with Nuckolls making two free throws to give Nuckolls 15 of the team’s 19 points to start the second half for a 51-41 lead with 6:32 to play.

“We started seeing they weren’t necessarily helping up on screens, so we exposed it,” Nuckolls said. “The shots were going in. Give the ball to the hot hand. I was hot at the time. It changes throughout the game. We just exposed one of the flaws they had, and that’s what kind of let that run happen.”

“He got to his spot in the middle of the lane and hit that 10-foot pull-up,” Heiar said. “He got to that over and over again. He saved his best for last.

“I’ve seen it all year long. He’s more than just a shooter. He’s been working on it, and it all came out in a national championship game in the second half when it matters most, and I’m super proud of him, because he’s worked so hard to turn himself into a complete basketball player. His defense in the second half and his rebounding in the tournament, along with his IQ and his feel for the game. He’s put in the work this year to make the most of his opportunity when it came.”

Connors State eventually cut the score to 59-55 with 1:15 to play. Free throws helped the Cardinals eventually close it out.

“I’m just grateful,” Tyler Smith said. “It’s been a whole lot of hard work and faith. That’s what I tell the guys, hard work and faith, nobody can us but ourselves.

“We’ve been doing three-a-days since July to now. Nine months of hard work really just paid off, going at each other every day. I’ve got to give credit to our scout team, our manager and our coaches. They prepared us for everything that we could’ve come across in this tournament.”

Kevin Stubblefield Jr. led Connors State (32-4) with 20 points. Dormu had 16 points, and Daniel had 12 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks.

Players for the Cardinals are Braden Wood, Tre’lin Green, Smith, Kalen White, Isaac Hymes, Camarion Johnson, Loubaki, Nuckolls, Braylon Wenger, Jalen Wenger, Domanic Betancourt, Charles Outlaw, MJ Wardlow, Justin Bohannon, Mouhamed Mbaye, Chandler Batchelor and Cameron Williams.

It was Region XIV’s first men’s national basketball championship since Paris Junior College won it all in 2005. Other men’s national champions from the league include: Tyler Junior College (1949, 1951), Wharton County Junior College (1952), Kilgore College (1956, 1958) and San Jacinto College (1968, 1983, 1984, 1986).

TJC was runner-up in 1960 and 1961, while Lon Morris College was second in 1962. San Jacinto was runner-up in 1966, 1977, 1997 and 2003.

Wharton County, San Jacinto and Lon Morris no longer have programs.