蒙哥马利县社区学院野马队男子篮球主教练古兰·普林斯 没有比这更好的第一季了.

现年32岁的他来自费城，现居住在安伯勒 28胜3负的赛季，其中包括全国大专体育协会地区 四年来第一次获得第19届冠军，并以第六名的成绩结束 NJCAA Division III National Tournament in Herkimer, N.Y.

由于球队在球场上的成功，普林斯被任命为NJCAA北区 大西洋区年度最佳教练和东宾夕法尼亚运动会 (EPAC) Coach of the Year.

Likewise, several of his student-athletes received praise. Cris Dinolfi was named most valuable player of the Region XIX tournament; Sean Emfinger was named to the national all-tournament team; Baasil Saunders was named EPAC first team All-Conference and All-Region first team; and Brandon Bush was named EPAC second team All-Conference and All-Region third team.

普林斯是该学院2014届的校友，他自己也曾为野马队效力 从2019年到2023年担任助理教练，这个赛季的荣誉说明了一切 to the value of hard work from everyone on the team.

“I think I did OK,” he quipped. “No, I think we did an amazing job. The coaching staff 在这一整年里对我帮助很大吗. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be in this spot.”

虽然野马队的赛季并没有以球队想要的方式结束，但他们首先失去了 第一场比赛，然后赢得第二场比赛，在输掉最后一场比赛获得第五名之前， Prince said they still enjoyed the ride while it lasted.

“I thought the tournament was fun and exciting,” he said. “I thought it was great experience. A lot of the teams were really good, and they were tough. I think one 我学到的是，比赛的身体对抗与其他比赛有很大的不同 we experienced in the region.”

他说，球员们从比赛中获得了宝贵的经验.

“They did pretty well,” he said. “I just think it was all new and they had to adjust 对于身体，保持一个正直的头脑，继续推动他们学习 these new things.”

作为第一年的主教练，普林斯说这个赛季既有挑战，也有回报. 从管理来自不同背景的不同个性，到观察运动员的 当他们作为一个团队一起完成目标时，他们微笑着，普林斯说他学到了这一点 a lot.

“今年我们在防守端排名第二，我想要得到第一的位置，”他说 他说，“只要学会在精神上和身体上都变得更强壮——我们会 在赛季中实施一项新的重量训练计划.”

在休赛期，普林斯说野马队将失去大约六名二年级学生，所以他 focus is replacing those players through recruitment. He also wants to continue to improve the team’s defensive performance.

2020年，野马队最后一次参加了NJCAA全国锦标赛 eliminated after losing both games it played.

普林斯说，两支球队有很多相似之处，没有什么关键的不同之处. 他说，2020年的国家队在防守方面领先，2024年的国家队排名第二. 两支球队都能在比赛中带来高度的身体对抗，包括 getting rebounds and turnovers. Prince said this year’s team though was more athletic and played at a faster pace.

“四年前，那支球队的教练是我见过的最好的教练之一 他说的是尼尔·米勒(Nyere Miller)，他现在是体育bt365体育备用网站助理主任. “That’s an amazing man.”

米勒同样对普林斯接手后所做的事情印象深刻 him.

“I don’t think it gets any better,” he said. “He hit the ground running. It shows what he was able to do. 当你从助理做起时，肯定会有调整 coach to head coach. Yet he managed to get the most out of his players. Not just impacting returners but bringing in a new group of athletes. There was no drop off this year. The team has continued to excel. We’ve been ranked the last four years. Montgomery 县社区学院篮球开始在地区和全国范围内闻名.”

从他自己对2020年和2024年球队的评估来看，米勒说2020年的球队表现出了 its inexperience in competing at a national level.

“I think we got overly excited winning the region,” he said. “It was our first time in a national tournament. A lot was new. Experience is a big factor. A lot of teams that have been there periodically have success.”

2024年的球队带着进入全国锦标赛的期望进入了这个赛季. 虽然它输掉了第一场比赛，但它赢了第二场比赛，然后又输掉了第三场比赛 final game. Miller said it’s a step forward.

“今年的全国锦标赛已经成为我们的期望. A national tournament is something to strive for,” he said. “The last step is a national championship. Being ranked every year is part of that process. It’s a great step winning a game this year. 下一步就是赢得多场比赛，然后继续前进.”

体育和校园娱乐主任凯利·邓巴(Kelly Dunbar)说，她非常自豪 普林斯第一年所能完成的事情.

“The foundation for him was led with Nyere,” said Dunbar. “They have a strong mentor relationship. He’s helped Koran and the program hasn’t fallen off. There will be highs and lows. 只要我们不断引进人才，我们就会保持竞争力.”

邓巴说，她仍然记得普林斯是野马队的学生运动员 when she coached the women’s basketball team.

“I was here when he was a student-athlete. I saw him as a player and saw him grow “慢慢地，”她说，“然后作为一名助理教练，成长为现在的他 and take what he learned and make it his own.”

作为一名校友，普林斯说，能够带领他的母校走向全国，真是太棒了 tournament in his first year as head coach. He thanked the administration and coaching staff for their continued support.

“我知道每个人都有梦想，”他说，“但我总觉得自己活在自己的梦想中. 当我还是个球员的时候，那是我们第一次有资格进入季后赛. 12年后，我能够带领他们获得全国冠军，这真是太神奇了. I couldn’t make this up.”