2024-25 Basketball Recap

-Middletown NY, 

The SUNY Orange Colts end their season with a record of 28 wins and 6 losses, going an undefeated 9-0 in Conference play.  The Colts finished as the 2025 Region XV and East A District Champions.  As District Champions, the Colts qualified for the NJCAA Division II National Championship.  They have gone to the national tournament two of the last three seasons.

This extraordinary season for the Colts ended with multiple accolades and highlights for the year. 

• Head Coach Tom Rickard earned the 250th win of his career and was named 2024-25 Region XV and District A Coach of the Year
• Marquis Gill became the All-Time Three Point leader for SUNY Orange and scored 1000+ points for his career
• Jabari Phillip was the 2025 Region XV Player of the Year 
• The Colts were Mid-Hudson Conference, Region XV and District A Champions
• The Colts won their first round game at the NJCAA National Championship Tournament
• The Colts finished #18 in the final NJCAA national poll.

Four athletes earned regular season and postseason accolades. 

• Jabari Phillip and Marquis Gill earned spots on the Region XV DII Men's Basketball First-Team
• Mathew Shea and Daniel Lans earned spots on the Region XV DII Men's Basketball Second-Team 
• Jabari Phillip was this year's Region XV Tournament Most Valuable Player
• Daniel Lans was named to the Region XV Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team

This season the Colts were among the top teams in the NJCAA, statistically ranking 4th in field goals per game and offensive rebounds per game, 9th in total rebounds, 7th in total points and 2nd in steals per game. 

In 34 games played the Colts finished with:

• Points: 3064
• Points per game: 90.1
• Field Goals per game: 35.3
• Field Goal Percentage: 48.7%
• Off rebounds per game: 16.2
• Def rebounds per game: 28.3
• Total rebounds per game: 44.5
• Assists per game: 19.0
• Steals per game: 12.9
• Blocks per game: 2.6

This year's team showcased six sophomores: Marquis Gill, Daniel Lans, Marco Evans, Kenee Ubakanma, Jabari Phillip and Mathew Shea.

Captain #1 Marquis Gill finished his career at Orange with 1013 points scored becoming the twelfth Colt to reach 1000 points for his career.  He is the Colts all-time leader in 3-pointers made, shooting 34.7% from behind the three point arc this season.  Marquis also finished in the top five in the NJCAA this season in total minutes played (1130 minutes) and 3-point shots made (99). 

Guard #3 Daniel Lans was a defensive standout as he finished 1st in all of the NJCAA this season in total steals (114). Lans also finished 5th in the NJCAA with 198 assists.  In his two seasons as a Colt, Daniel Lans has accumulated 897 points, 275 assists, 324 rebounds and 195 steals. 

Guard/Forward #4 Marco Evans had a solid Sophomore year as he nearly doubled his minutes played from last season. Evans was a reliable player off the bench for the Colts averaging just under six points a game. Marco brought energy to the floor, often covering opponents top players. Marco finished his career with 306 points, 236 rebounds, 62 assists, 61 steals and 11 blocks. 

Guard #12 Kenee Ubakanma finished his career with 16 points scored on 55.6% shooting from the field, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. 

Forward #22 Jabari Phillip finishes his one year as a SUNY Orange Colt starting all 34 games this season.  Jabari ended with 694 points, 277 rebounds, 56 assists, 49 steals and 19 blocks. This season Jabari led the Colts in points, shooting percentage, field goals made and offensive rebounds.  Jabari finished in the top 10 in the NJCAA in field goals made (283), offensive rebounds (124), and total points (694).

Forward/Guard #24 Mathew Shea finished his stellar two-year career as a Colt with 814 points (shooting 308-642 for a 48.0% shooting percentage), 479 rebounds, 94 assists, 74 steals and 34 blocks. This season Shea led the Colts in rebounds and blocks and finished 13th in total rebounds in the NJCAA (297).