The National Junior College Athletic Association named three Riverhawks basketball players to All-Region 20 Division III teams in early April.

Forward Jamar Young and guard Michael Cantrell are two of five players on the All-Region 20 Division III First Team. Guard Brandy Middleton made the All-Region Division III Honorable Mention Team. 

“It’s unbelievable,” Middleton, a second-year public health science student, said. “It just felt really nice to see and all my hard work [pay off].”

Men’s head basketball coach Joe Snowden said the honor is “well deserved. … Jamar led the team scoring. Michael [was also good] in scoring, steals, rebounding [and] assists.”

The All-Region 20 teams include the top players from community colleges in Maryland and Pennsylvania. 

Middleton said the accomplishment felt “amazing.”

Middleton said she won her honorable mention spot because she “put in the hard work. Don’t think that you can’t do anything because I always doubted myself and I got this nice award and [it] made me feel really good about myself and my actions on the court. Anyone could win it as long as you believe in yourself.”

 “It’s an accomplishment,” Young, a second-year transfer studies student, agreed. “It’s just something that keeps me motivated to earn more goals throughout my years.”

Women’s head basketball coach Lionel Makell said Middleton, a second-year public health science student, “played consistent all year. That’s not a surprise. She was one of the best.”

Middleton averaged 10.4 points, 2.1 steals and 3.1 assists per game. Middleton’s 36 steals ranked fifth in the region. She scored a career high 22 points on Dec. 1 against the College of Southern Maryland.  

Forward Syrena Boone, first-year business student, said Middleton could make the team again next year.

“Definitely,” Boone said. “She always gives 100%. Even next year, she’s definitely going to give 100%.”

Forward Jada Turner, a first-year film studies student, said Middleton was selected because of her energy.

“She would put everything into games on both sides of the court,” Turner said. “She was a big help for us.”

Young also said he made the All-Region 20 team because of hard work and leadership. 

“The joy keeps me motivated,” he said. “My hard work has been shown to the media and fans and coaches.”

Young, a second-year transfer studies student, averaged nearly 17 points and 7.6 rebounds a game. Young recorded a season-high 28 points on Nov. 5 against North Carolina’s Sandhills Community College. Cantrell, a second-year physical therapy student, averaged 13.3 points, 2.8 steals, 1.3 blocks and 4.4 assists a game. Cantrell scored a season high 25 points against Virginia’s Christendom College on Jan. 31. 

Cantrell also made the team in 2020. 

Forward Michael Duffy, first-year psychology and health and exercise student, called the winners “leaders.”

“And because of [their leadership], we ended up winning a pretty good amount of games and made it to the championship.”

Cantrell said this honor could help him land a spot on a four-year college’s basketball team.

“When I reach out to coaches … I can definitely include that when sending emails or even just talking to [coaches],” Cantrell said.

Cantrell said he celebrated his accomplishment.

“My first reaction is I go tell my parents and some of my friends,” Cantrell said. “My parents gave me a hug [and] my friends gave me a lot of praise.”